[2024 National Audit] 68.7% Relief Rate for Victims by the Korea Communications Standards Commission Over the Past 5 Years

Committee Mediation Takes an Average of 21.4 Days

It has been revealed that the number of mediation requests submitted to the Korea Press Arbitration Commission over the past five years reached around 20,000 cases.

On the 9th, Im Ok-kyung, a member of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, disclosed data received from the Press Arbitration Commission. According to the data, the number of mediation requests submitted to the Commission from 2020 until August of this year was 18,264 cases. Among these, the 'relief rate'?the proportion of cases where corrective or rebuttal reports were issued?was 68.7%.

The number of mediation requests submitted this year was 2,802. The media type with the largest share (64%) was 'Internet newspapers' (1,800 cases). Newspapers (10.2%, 287 cases), broadcasting (7.2%, 203 cases), and news agencies (4.5%, 128 cases) followed in order.

According to the Press Arbitration Act, the Commission's mediation must be conducted within fourteen days from the date of application receipt. However, this year, the average processing time took 21.4 days.

Rep. Im emphasized, "Speed is essential in remedying damages caused by media reports," adding, "Measures are needed to shorten the average processing period." She continued, "Despite a large-scale vacancy crisis among arbitration commissioners recently, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the competent authority, neglected the issue, leading to a paralysis of operations," and stated, "I will clarify the circumstances regarding this matter during the national audit."