People Power Party: "Scrap the Closed-Door, Hasty, and Unconstitutional Three Broadcasting Laws"
Calls for Apology from Chair Choi Minhee... Urges President Lee to Clarify His Position
On July 7, lawmakers from the People Power Party (PPP) who are members of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee strongly objected to the passage of the so-called "three broadcasting laws" (the Broadcasting Act, the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act), which were pushed through the standing committee under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea. They argued that these laws would lead to a comprehensive regression of the broadcasting and media industry.
Immediately after the three broadcasting laws were passed in a full committee meeting led by the ruling party, PPP lawmakers from the committee held a press conference at the National Assembly. They asserted, "From the very beginning of the legislative process, including the proposal, subcommittee discussions, and introduction to the committee, the three broadcasting laws have been crafted and unilaterally pushed forward behind closed doors by Committee Chair Choi Minhee and several other Democratic Party members."
Earlier that afternoon, the committee held a full meeting and approved the amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act, which had passed the Information and Communications Broadcasting Bill Review Subcommittee on July 2. The key points of the amendments are to increase the number of KBS board members from 11 to 15, and the number of board members for the Foundation for Broadcast Culture (MBC and Foundation for Broadcast Culture) and EBS from 9 to 13, respectively, while diversifying the recommending bodies.
The PPP lawmakers on the committee raised their voices, saying, "The Democratic Party's alternative to the three broadcasting laws is extremely regressive not only in terms of procedure but also in substance." They pointed out, "The Democratic Party has expanded the ratio of public broadcaster board member recommendations by both ruling and opposition parties to 40%, thereby strengthening the kind of political patronage that should be avoided. Furthermore, by granting the right to recommend board members to employees, viewers' committees, and legal organizations, they have set the numbers arbitrarily without any legal basis, creating a board of directors through 'meaningless number games.'"
They continued, "There is no legal justification or explanation as to why these groups should be recommending bodies, or why the specific numbers are three and two, respectively. The only hidden agenda is a scheme for the KCTU-affiliated media union to permanently control public broadcasting without being exposed externally."
They also criticized, "The supplementary provisions stipulate that a new board of directors must be formed within three months of the law’s implementation. This clearly indicates an intention to replace the public broadcaster boards with pro-Democratic Party figures within three months of promulgation, and ultimately to replace the presidents of these broadcasters as well."
In addition, the PPP lawmakers called for an immediate apology from Chair Choi and measures to prevent a recurrence. They emphasized, "Stop trying to control the media and the public by seizing public broadcasting, and completely scrap these closed-door, hasty, and unconstitutional three broadcasting laws."
They also called on President Lee Jaemyung to state his position on the alternative to the three broadcasting laws. The lawmakers pointed out, "Chair Choi claims that President Lee has supported the alternative to the three broadcasting laws, but today, presidential spokesperson Kang Yoojeong denied this, saying, 'The president has never expressed an opinion on any specific bill.'"
They went on to ask, "Is Chair Choi acting as a kingmaker ruling over President Lee? Or, fearing public backlash, is Chair Choi taking the lead while President Lee plays a double game by pretending to oppose it?"
The PPP lawmakers on the committee pledged, "It is essential for both the presidential office and the Democratic Party to clearly state their positions on the revision of the three broadcasting laws. We will fight to the end to defend the independence and freedom of the press and the future of the broadcasting and media industry against the Democratic Party and the media union's attempts to seize control of broadcasting."
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