Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has recommended that President Yoon Suk Yeol veto four legislative proposals put forward by the main opposition party, which are intended to restrict the president’s control over the management of South Korea’s public broadcasters.
These bills, passed by the opposition-controlled National Assembly, seek to restructure the boards of KBS, MBC, and EBS by increasing the number of directors and altering the decision-making processes at the Korea Communications Commission (KCC).
During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the government approved a motion requesting parliamentary reconsideration of the broadcasting bills. With the motion, which will be sent to President Yoon for endorsement, the administration’s concern over the lack of bipartisan agreement on these legislative changes. If vetoed, the bills will be returned to the Assembly for a revote.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has strongly criticized the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) for disregarding the government’s concerns regarding the broadcasting bills. Han argued that the DP failed to address the issues previously raised by the administration, which include potential harm to the fairness and public nature of South Korea’s public broadcasters. He noted that three of the four bills had already been scrapped in the previous parliament, but the DP has reintroduced them without necessary revisions.
Han also accused the opposition of further infringing upon the president’s constitutional right to appoint and dismiss heads of public broadcasters by including provisions that restrict the president’s ability to remove these officials.
The prime minister’s remarks came after the DP’s recent unilateral decision to pass a motion to impeach Korea Communications Commission (KCC) chair Lee Jin-sook, just days after her appointment. Han described the resulting paralysis of the KCC as an abnormal and embarrassing situation for the nation’s media regulatory body, raising concerns about its ability to maintain neutrality and effectively oversee the media landscape.
As President Yoon Suk Yeol faces the prospect of vetoing these bills for a record 16th time, the ongoing tensions between the executive and legislative branches continue to escalate.
The opposition parties’ proposed revisions aim to expand the boards of KBS, EBS, and MBC’s Foundation of Broadcast Culture by increasing the number of non-executive directors from the current 11 for KBS and 9 for MBC and EBS to 21 for each entity.
Additionally, the revisions seek to grant representatives from viewers and academic circles the power to recommend directors for these public broadcasters. One of the bills also seeks to limit the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) from making decisions without the presence of at least four of its five standing commissioners, a change from the current rule that allows decisions with only two members present.
The bills passed through the National Assembly after prolonged debates and filibusters by the ruling People Power Party, which ultimately could not prevent their approval.
The bills were sent to the government for review on July 30. This legislative maneuver comes amid growing tensions and a political deadlock. The opposition party also initiated an impeachment motion against KCC chair Lee Jin-sook, who had just been appointed. This move halted the KCC’s decision-making processes, including appointing new directors for KBS and MBC.
A recent poll shows that 66% of respondents are dissatisfied with the 22nd National Assembly’s performance. President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to exercise his veto power by August 14, calling for improved dialogue between the rival political parties to address these contentious issues and find a resolution.
