Opposition Urges Suspension of KBS Open Concert 'Blue House Opening Special'

Joint Statement by Democratic Party Lawmakers of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Culture Committees

On the 15th, the first weekend after the opening of Cheong Wa Dae, many citizens visited Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno-gu, Seoul. In response to the sharp increase in pedestrian traffic due to the full opening of Cheong Wa Dae, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will pilot a car-free street on the road in front of Cheong Wa Dae (from Hyoja-dong Fountain to Chun Chu Gate) during the Cheong Wa Dae opening event period. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Members of the Democratic Party of Korea belonging to the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee raised critical voices regarding the special 'KBS Open Concert' featuring the opening of the Blue House scheduled for the 22nd, asking, "Has KBS, the people's broadcaster, decided to become a propaganda broadcast for the administration?"

On the 20th, the Democratic Party members issued a joint statement expressing this and urged KBS to halt the performance event.

According to the Democratic Party, this event was arranged after the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested KBS to produce and broadcast the performance, and KBS accepted. The event is planned to include a comprehensive performance along with media facade, drone show, and media wall utilizing the exterior of the Blue House. This is the first time in 27 years since May 1995 that the Open Concert is held at the Blue House.

The Democratic Party members pointed out, "What is the intention behind holding the Blue House opening special Open Concert just about 10 days before the June 1 local elections?" and stated, "KBS, which is mobilized for the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's deliberate election strategy, has abandoned the value of being the people's broadcaster."

They added, "The special Open Concert event by KBS is election interference cooperating with the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's support for the local elections," and "The current actions can only be seen as an intention to properly show the transformation into a regime-serving, regime propaganda broadcast."

Furthermore, they emphasized, "While it is important to guarantee the political independence and autonomy in reporting, production, and programming of public broadcasting through external legal and institutional measures, what is more important is that public broadcasting independently and autonomously operates without watching the regime's eyes."