KCC reorganizes OTT Policy Cooperation Team into Audiovisual Media Services Team

Efforts to Legislate the Audiovisual Media Services Act
Jwa Mi-ae Appointed as New Team Leader

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] The Korea Communications Commission announced on the 4th that it will reorganize the 'OTT Policy Cooperation Team,' which is responsible for policy support in the online video service (OTT) industry, into the 'Audiovisual Media Services Team,' which will oversee new media including OTT.

The existing OTT Policy Cooperation Team was part of the Broadcasting Infrastructure Bureau, but the newly established Audiovisual Media Services Team belongs to the Broadcasting Policy Bureau. Jwa Mi-ae, a secretary from the Media Diversity Policy Division of the former Broadcasting Infrastructure Bureau, has been appointed as the head of the Audiovisual Media Services Team.

This organizational restructuring is part of the Korea Communications Commission's annual goal to legislate the Audiovisual Media Services Act. In its 2021 work plan, the Commission included the objective of establishing the concept of 'audiovisual media services,' encompassing broadcasting and OTT. The plan envisions creating a comprehensive law for the development of the media industry that includes terrestrial broadcasting, paid broadcasting platforms, pay TV channel operators (PP), and OTT.

Challenges remain in securing OTT leadership among government ministries. Currently, besides the Korea Communications Commission, there are three government ministries, including the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, that have dedicated OTT teams.