Amended Broadcasting Act announced

[Anchor]

The amendment to the Broadcasting Act, which was passed by the National Assembly earlier this month, was announced today (Aug. 18) at the Cabinet meeting.

In accordance with this law, the Democratic Party is also considering a new organization to replace the Korea Communications Commission to push forward with the restructuring of the KBS board.

The People Power Party criticized this as a takeover of broadcasting.

Reporter Won Dong-hee has the details.

[Report]

The amendment to the Broadcasting Act, which passed the National Assembly earlier this month, was approved at the Cabinet meeting today.

[Kang Yu-jung/Spokesperson for the Presidential Office: "The announcement of the amendment to the Broadcasting Act aimed at protecting the autonomy of broadcasting production and strengthening viewer rights has been approved."]

According to the amended law, KBS must reconstitute its board within three months.

A recommendation committee for the president, which includes public participation, and a programming committee with equal representation from labor and management will also be mandatory.

However, the Korea Communications Commission, which has ceased operations, is a variable.

The Commission makes decisions with a 'majority attendance and majority approval' among its five members, including the chairperson, but currently, it consists of only Chairperson Lee Jin-sook, making any decision impossible.

The Commission is supposed to recommend the appointment of KBS board members and determine who specifically will recommend the board and programming committee members, but this is currently unfeasible.

[Kim Hyun/Democratic Party Media Reform Special Committee Member/14th: "Even if the three broadcasting laws are processed, if the Korea Communications Commission is not normalized, it cannot fulfill its role..."]

The Democratic Party is considering creating a new organization to replace the Korea Communications Commission.

Additionally, it is expected that bills related to MBC and EBS will be processed in the upcoming plenary session starting on the 21st.

The People Power Party has opposed this, claiming it is a takeover of broadcasting and media control by the Democratic Party and the Lee Jae Myung government.

[Park Seong-hoon/Spokesperson for the People Power Party: "It is merely a reform that sounds good in words, but in reality, it is nothing more than a blueprint for controlling the media to stifle journalism."]

They have announced that they will block any broadcasting-related bills presented at this week's plenary session through unlimited debate, along with a request for a constitutional review.

This is KBS News, Won Dong-hee.