National Policy Planning Committee: "Fight with Yoon Administration Began with Broadcasting"... Launches Media Reform

Promotion of the Media Innovation National Council

Media figures who were dismissed or otherwise suppressed for resisting attempts to control public broadcasters during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration have gathered in one place to begin discussing the direction of the new government’s media policy.

Han Joo Lee, chairman of the National Policy Planning Committee (fourth from the left in the front row), and attendees are taking a commemorative photo at the opinion gathering meeting for the promotion of the Media Innovation National Council (tentative name) held on the 16th at the National Policy Planning Committee in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Joint Photo Reporters Group

On the 16th, the National Policy Planning Committee held an opinion-gathering meeting to promote the Media Innovation National Council (tentative name) and officially launched its media reform efforts.

At the meeting, held at the Changseong-dong annex of the Government Complex Seoul, Han Joo Lee, chairman of the National Policy Planning Committee, emphasized, “The fight with the Yoon administration began with broadcasting,” and added, “The progress of democracy today is thanks to the perseverance of many who resisted to the end, allowing democracy to take a step forward.”

Chairman Lee stated, “A wide range of opinions on how broadcasting, telecommunications, and media should be structured and proceed are being submitted to the committee. The committee has the primary responsibility of organizing these opinions,” and added, “I hope to complete this process and report to the president by next week.”

The Media Innovation National Council, one of President Lee Jaemyung’s campaign pledges, will be responsible for discussions on legal frameworks and governance reforms to address the evolving media environment.

With the start of the committee’s media reform work, discussions are expected to accelerate regarding the establishment of a new government body that integrates the content-related functions of the Korea Communications Commission, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

At a briefing following the meeting, Cho Seungrae, spokesperson for the committee, explained, “The committee plans to draft proposals for where the council should be placed?under the National Assembly, the government, directly under the president, or under the prime minister?and reflect these in the national policy roadmap.”

Nine key media figures were invited to the meeting, including Han Joo Lee, chairman of the National Policy Planning Committee; Kim Hyun, ruling party secretary of the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee and head of the committee’s broadcasting and communications subcommittee; Han Sanghyuk, former chairman of the Korea Communications Commission; Jung Yeonju, former chairman of the Korea Communications Standards Commission; Nam Youngjin, former chairman of the KBS board; Kwon Taeseon, chairman of the MBC Foundation for Broadcast Culture; Yoo Sichoon, chairman of EBS; Kim Euicheol, former president of KBS; Lee Kangtaek, former president of TBS; Jung Jaekwon, KBS board member; and Lee Changhyun, co-representative of the Forum for Media Publicness.

Kim Hyun stated, “On the 7th, the three broadcasting laws passed the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, marking a major milestone,” and added, “We have a historic responsibility to establish a truly independent Korea Communications Commission.”

Former chairman Han Sanghyuk pointed out, “One of the main reasons Yoon Suk Yeol committed rebellion was the influence of extreme YouTube channels,” and added, “While YouTube channels can say whatever they want without restriction, broadcasting is subject to regulation, so there needs to be consistent standards.”

Former KBS president Kim Euicheol emphasized, “KBS is the core of democratic public discourse and the final bastion of national and cultural identity,” and added, “We need discussions to ensure the sustainability of KBS as the leading public broadcaster.”

Some attendees also called for the withdrawal of lawsuits filed against journalists during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Former KBS board chairman Nam Youngjin stated that he had won his trial regarding corporate card use, while chairman Kwon Taeseon urged, “The Lee Jaemyung administration should quickly resolve the situation where it is formally pursuing lawsuits against those who fought for press freedom.”