[PRESS RELEASE] Amendment to Broadcasting Act Passes in National Assembly

The amendment to the Broadcast Communications Commission Act, which increases the quorum of the Broadcasting Communications Commission, was passed in the main session of the National Assembly on the 26th under the leadership of the Democratic Party. Prior to this, the opposition party forcibly ended the filibuster initiated by the ruling party to prevent the passage of the amendment.

During the main session on that day, the amendment was passed with 183 out of 183 members present supporting it. Members of the People Power Party protested the bill and left the session. The amendment’s content involves increasing the quorum of the Broadcasting Communications Commission, including the chairman, from the current 2 members to 4 members. This is an attempt to prevent the commission, which has been operating with only 2 members for nearly a year due to President Yoon Suk-yeol’s refusal to appoint opposition-recommended standing commissioners.

Before the Broadcasting Communications Commission Act was processed, the National Assembly conducted an anonymous vote, with 186 out of 186 members present supporting the opposition to end the filibuster by the People Power Party. On the previous day, when the amendment to the Broadcasting Communications Commission Act was brought to the main session, the People Power Party initiated a filibuster, and the Democratic Party submitted a motion to end the unlimited debate. The parliamentary law allows the filibuster to be terminated and the motion to be voted on 24 hours after the motion to end the filibuster is submitted, with the support of over three-fifths of the members present (180).

The Broadcasting Communications Commission Act was the first of the ‘Broadcasting 4 Laws’ (Broadcasting Law, Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Act, Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act, Broadcasting Communications Commission Act amendment) being pursued by the Democratic Party to be processed that day. The amendment bills for the Broadcasting Law, Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Act, and Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act, which involve increasing the number of directors of public broadcasters such as KBS, MBC, EBS, and granting external organizations the right to recommend directors, will be brought to the main session in turn. The People Power Party plans to filibuster each time. The filibuster on the amendment to the Broadcasting Law being presented that day is expected to be forcibly ended around 28th evening, after being extended past the 27th due to the Democratic Party’s regional primary schedules.

Written by Yoo Yeon