Cabinet passes motion to return controversial public broadcaster bills to legislature

The Cabinet passed a motion on Tuesday demanding that the National Assembly reconsider four bills recently passed by the legislature’s liberal majority to overhaul the governance of public broadcasters.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo strikes his gavel at a Cabinet meeting held at the Central Government Complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

The Cabinet passed a motion on Tuesday demanding that the National Assembly reconsider four bills recently passed by the legislature’s liberal majority to overhaul the governance of public broadcasters.

If President Yoon Suk Yeol endorses the motion, he would effectively veto all four bills and force them back to the Assembly for a revote. Bills sent back to the legislature must garner support from over two-thirds of lawmakers to override the president’s veto.

Three of the bills increase the number of board directors at public broadcasters KBS, MBC and EBS, while one requires binding resolutions issued by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) to have been voted on by four of the commission’s five standing members, up from the current two.

The KCC not only serves as the state media watchdog, but also appoints directors for the foundation that controls MBC and nominates candidates for the president to seat on the board of KBS.

The four media bills, which were railroaded through the National Assembly by the liberal Democratic Party (DP) last week over consecutive filibusters and boycotts mounted by the conservative People Power Party (PPP), are intended to reduce the government’s clout over the country’s public broadcasters, according to the DP.

However, the PPP has argued the bills would increase the number of liberal-minded officials on the boards of public broadcasters.

While the bill affecting the KCC was introduced during the current 22nd National Assembly, three bills targeting governance at KBS, MBC and EBS were passed by the DP-controlled 21st National Assembly last year but vetoed by the president.

Speaking at the meeting where the Cabinet adopted its motion against the media legislation, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo criticized the DP for ignoring the Yoon administration’s reasons for previously rejecting the three bills.

“The bills passed unilaterally by the DP raise more concerns about bias in public broadcasting instead of enacting reform,” Han said.

But the prime minister also noted that public broadcasting “currently faces a crisis of confidence” and “needs to not only re-establish its independence, fairness and transparency, but also undergo drastic restructuring to adapt to rapid changes in the media environment.”

The DP has accused Yoon of trying to “take control over” the country’s public broadcasters by appointing former MBC reporter Lee Jin-sook as chair of the KCC on July 31 and allowing her to run the watchdog with only one other standing member, Kim Tae-gyu, who was also appointed the same day.

Yoon appointed seven KBS board members who were recommended by Lee and Kim almost immediately after Lee’s appointment, prompting the DP and three other liberal parties to submit an impeachment motion against her.

The two KCC standing members also named six new directors of the Foundation for Broadcast Culture, which, in turn, oversees MBC and thus controls the selection of its new president.

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