Even After Park Geun-hye's Impeachment, There Were Six Debates... Controversy Remains Over Presidential Candidate TV Debates [News Seolcham]

Introduction of Presidential Debates in 1997 Marked by 55% Viewership
Broadcast Time, Invited Candidates, and Number of Debates Specified by Law
Difficulties in Moderator Intervention Due to Concerns Over Fairness
Ongoing Limitations: Mechanical Neutrality and Lack of In-depth Debate

Editor's Note'Seolcham' is a newly coined term meaning "please refer to the explanation for more details." In [News Seolcham], we aim to highlight and provide more in-depth explanations for parts of the news that require fact-checking or further clarification.

Ahead of the 21st presidential election, the three televised presidential debates organized by the National Election Commission recorded viewership ratings of 19.6%, 18.4%, and 20.5%, respectively. As this election was held following the impeachment of the president, the public's attention was highly focused on the statements made by each candidate during the debates. Although the ratings were lower than in previous elections, many citizens expressed disappointment with the format and frequency of the TV debates. Here, we address some of the main questions related to the presidential candidate TV debates.

Q. When were presidential candidate TV debates first introduced, and how much public interest was there?

Presidential candidate TV debates were first introduced during the 15th presidential election in 1997. To prevent excessive campaign spending, outdoor rallies were restricted and media-based campaigning was encouraged instead. That year, three TV debates featuring Kim Dae-jung of the National Congress for New Politics, Lee In-je of the New Party, and Lee Hoi-chang of the Grand National Party were held, with the first debate achieving a high viewership rating of 55.7%.

The viewership ratings for the first TV debate during each presidential election period were as follows: 16th election, 33.8%; 17th, 24.0%; 18th, 34.9%; 19th, 22.1%; 20th, 39%; and 21st, 19.6%. Although the ratings have generally declined over time, the 18th election?where the heated exchange between Park Geun-hye of the Saenuri Party and Lee Junghee of the Unified Progressive Party became a talking point?and the 20th election, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic and saw campaign activities restricted, both recorded notably higher ratings than the preceding elections.

The broadcast time and invited participants are also stipulated by law. According to the Public Official Election Act, debates broadcast by the Central Election Broadcasting Debate Commission must be aired live between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Candidates invited include: those recommended by a party with at least five seats in the National Assembly; those recommended by a party that received at least 3% of the vote in the previous election; and those with an average approval rating of at least 5% in public opinion polls conducted by media organizations during a designated period. Even candidates not meeting these criteria are guaranteed at least one opportunity to participate in a debate.

On the 23rd, the 2nd candidate debate for the 21st presidential election was being broadcast live in the Seoul Station waiting room. Photo by Yonhap News

Q. Are only three presidential candidate TV debates originally held?

Presidential TV debates are divided into two categories: statutory debates organized by the National Election Commission and additional debates organized by media outlets or civic groups. The law stipulates that for presidential elections, at least three statutory debates must be held, while for gubernatorial elections, at least one debate is required. However, according to the Central Election Broadcasting Debate Commission, only three statutory debates have been held in each presidential election.

The main reason for criticism over the limited number of debates in this election is the absence of TV debates organized by media outlets or civic groups. Under the Public Official Election Act, media organizations and other groups may also host interviews or debates by inviting one or more candidates during the campaign period, provided they obtain the candidates' consent. There are no separate restrictions on invitation criteria or format if candidates agree. Therefore, additional debates are possible as long as the candidates reach an agreement.

Some argue that it was difficult to hold additional debates because this was an early election following an impeachment. However, even during the 19th presidential election, which was also held after the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, there were six TV debates, including three statutory debates. In the 20th presidential election, there were a total of five TV debates: three statutory debates and two organized by media outlets.

Q. Can the moderator not intervene when a candidate makes excessive remarks?

During the third presidential candidate TV debate, there was criticism that the moderator failed to intervene in what was referred to as "remarks about women's bodies" by Lee Junseok, the presidential candidate of the Reform Party. Kwon Youngguk, the Democratic Labor Party candidate, also expressed strong regret to the Election Broadcasting Debate Commission after the debate on the 27th, stating, "I am deeply disappointed that the commission did not intervene or warn the candidate who made such remarks. This must not happen again." Similar criticisms have arisen in previous elections when a candidate launched excessive negative attacks against their rivals.

According to the Public Official Election Act, the chair of the Election Broadcasting Debate Commission and others may take necessary actions, such as intervening, if a candidate makes statements that violate the law or exceeds their allotted speaking time. They may also sanction those who disrupt the proceedings or order, and if a candidate does not comply with instructions, expulsion is possible.

However, moderators often adhere to mechanical neutrality out of concern that intervening in a particular candidate's remarks could raise issues of fairness. In 2022, the National Assembly Research Service stated in its report, "Current Status and Implications of Presidential Candidate TV Debates," that "with the emphasis on fairness in terms of equality among candidates and time allocation, the format and operation of debates tend to lean toward mechanical neutrality, which limits the activation of substantive debate." The report also pointed out that "there remain limitations, such as the concentration of questions on specific candidates or the lack of in-depth policy verification."