Kim Jongcheol Inaugurated as First Chairman of the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission on the 19th
Emphasizes Corporate Social Responsibility Including ESG
Pushes to Eradicate False Information... Opposition Parties Object
Kim Jongcheol, the inaugural Chairman of the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission, stated on the 19th, "Corporations must pursue profits within a constitutionally fair order," adding, "A company that does not consider human dignity is fundamentally at odds with its true nature."
Kim Jongcheol, the newly appointed Chairman of the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission, is delivering his inaugural speech on the 19th at the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission held within the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gwacheon City. Photo by Yonhap News
After his inauguration ceremony at the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province, Chairman Kim met with reporters and said, "Good regulation is the first step toward promotion," emphasizing his position.
Earlier, in his inaugural speech, he underscored constitutional values by mentioning the word "constitution" 15 times, expressing his intention to run the commission based on these principles.
In particular, citing the constitutional rights to "personal dignity" and the "pursuit of happiness," he declared his firm stance to respond decisively to false and manipulated information, malicious comments, and digital sex crime videos.
In relation to this, the so-called "False Information Eradication Act" (an amendment to the Information and Communications Network Act) passed the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly the previous day. The amendment introduces definitions and criteria for "false and manipulated information" and prohibits its distribution within information and communications networks.
It also stipulates punitive damages of up to five times the actual damages for those who intentionally or through gross negligence distribute illegal or false information and cause harm to others.
However, the opposition party argued that the amendment infringes on the constitutional right to freedom of expression, labeling it the "National Online Gag Law," and expressed their opposition by walking out during the vote.
Chairman Kim stated, "While companies pursue profits, they must do so within a constitutionally fair order," and clarified, "The prerequisite is fulfilling their social responsibility."
He added, "Companies need to fulfill their social responsibilities in order to conduct their business activities properly. In Europe, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) is being legislated. If you do not comply with ESG, you cannot do business."
Regarding individual cases such as KT, which has been embroiled in controversy over concealing hacking incidents, he refrained from commenting, saying, "Once the commission is established, we will proceed according to due process. For now, we are focusing on preparations for that."
Chairman Kim also addressed criticism regarding his lack of expertise in the broadcasting and communications sector by stating, "I will be evaluated by my work," and indicated that he would soon meet with stakeholders in the broadcasting, communications, and media industries to listen to their opinions on key issues and policies.
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