Lawmakers approve final bill to limit government influence on public broadcasters

Lawmakers from the liberal Democratic Party (DP) and its allies passed the last of four controversial bills aimed at reducing the government's influence in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

A bill amending the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act passes in an 189-0 vote at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Tuesday. The seats of conservative People Power Party members on the right are empty after they walked out from the chamber in protest. [YONHAP]

Lawmakers from the liberal Democratic Party (DP) and its allies passed the last of four controversial bills aimed at reducing the government's influence in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

The amendment to the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act, which would increase the number of directors on the board of public broadcaster EBS from nine to 21, passed with support from 189 lawmakers from the DP and other minor liberal parties. This came after they terminated a filibuster mounted by the conservative People Power Party (PPP), which is aligned with the government.

The vote on the bill was boycotted by PPP lawmakers, who left the National Assembly chamber in protest.

Tuesday’s bill was the last of four pieces of legislation intended to revamp governance at the state media watchdog and public broadcasters KBS, MBC and EBS by reducing the government and National Assembly’s power to name their directors.

All four bills were met with consecutive filibusters by the PPP, which argued that the bills would result in more liberal-minded officials being appointed to the boards of public broadcasters and the Korea Communications Commission (KCC).

However, the DP was able to forcefully end each of the PPP’s filibusters by teaming up with other liberal parties to augment its 175-seat majority in the legislature.

Under the National Assembly Act, a filibuster can be terminated 24 hours after it has started if three-fifths of the legislature, or 180 lawmakers, vote to end it.

The DP says the bills are aimed at reducing the role of political orientation or allegiance in the selection of broadcasting officials.

The PPP is expected to ask President Yoon Suk Yeol to veto the four media bills.

Yoon vetoed three similar bills passed by the DP-controlled 21st National Assembly last year, which were intended to reduce government influence over KBS, MBC and EBS.

The bill to amend the Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Korea Communications Commission was introduced by the DP during the current 22nd National Assembly and was passed by a floor vote on Friday.

The DP on Friday also intended to pass an impeachment motion against Lee Sang-in, the KCC’s acting chief, but he preempted the move by resigning the same day.

Lee’s resignation, which was accepted by President Yoon Suk Yeol, left the KCC without any standing members.

An official from the presidential office who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Yoon administration’s stance is that “both parties should reach an agreement to devise reform measures,” hinting that the president is likely to call on the National Assembly — and the DP — to reconsider the four media bills.

But the official declined to specify if Yoon intended to veto the bills, only saying that “a final decision will be made after consideration.”

The official noted that the three bills regarding KBS, MBC and EBS “had already been rejected before” and argued that “important changes in policies regarding governance at public broadcasters should take place after social consensus has been established.”

Update, July 30: Added details about the DP’s plan to impeach the KCC chief on Friday and comments from the presidential office on Tuesday.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]