Yoon's Veto on the Four Broadcasting Laws... "Inevitable Measure in Response to Opposition's Forceful Push"

16th to 19th Vetoes Since Inauguration

President Yoon Suk-yeol Photo by Yonhap News

President Yoon Suk-yeol exercised his right to request a reconsideration (veto) on the 'Broadcasting Four Acts' passed by the National Assembly led by opposition parties including the Democratic Party of Korea on the 12th.

The Presidential Office announced in the afternoon that President Yoon approved the reconsideration request for the 'Broadcasting Four Acts,' which was passed at the Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on the 6th.

This marks the 16th to 19th veto exercised by President Yoon since his inauguration.

The 'Broadcasting Four Acts' consist of partial amendments to the Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Korea Communications Commission, the Broadcasting Act, the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation Act, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act, which were passed by the National Assembly plenary session led by the opposition parties on the 30th of last month.

The Presidential Office pointed out, "The opposition parties forcibly passed the amendment to the Broadcasting Three Acts, which had already been rejected and discarded in the 21st National Assembly, and unilaterally passed the amended Broadcasting Four Acts, including the amendment to the Korea Communications Commission Act, which further undermines public interest, without any deliberation process."

It further emphasized, "Although broadcasting-related laws bring significant changes to the governance and system of public broadcasting, it is criticized for being handled politically without any bipartisan consultation or social consensus."

The Presidential Office stated, "This exercise of the reconsideration request is an unavoidable measure in response to the opposition's forced passage of the bill that undermines the fairness and public interest of broadcasting," and added, "We hope the National Assembly will cooperate in forming a social consensus so that broadcasting can be reborn as a fair and objective social public air."