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Key Points

The South Korean National Assembly has passed a controversial broadcasting bill that expands the EBS board amid fierce political tension. The Democratic Party utilized its majority to push through the legislation, which the opposition People Power Party strongly opposes. This bill is part of a broader set of reforms targeting public broadcasters like KBS, MBC, and EBS. The move signals significant changes in media governance and representation in South Korean public broadcasting.

Key Points: South Korea Democratic Party Passes Controversial EBS Broadcasting Bill

  • Democratic Party pushes through EBS broadcasting bill despite PPP opposition
  • Bill expands EBS board from 9 to 13 members
  • Third controversial broadcasting bill targeting public media
  • Filibuster tactic blocked by ruling party's majority vote
2 min read

South Korea: National Assembly, led by Democratic Party passes last of contentious broadcasting bills

South Korean National Assembly approves broadcasting bill amid opposition, expanding EBS board and reshaping public media governance

"The amendment passed in a 179-1 vote - National Assembly Plenary Session"

Seoul, Aug 22

South Korean National Assembly on Friday passed another controversial broadcasting bill that would revamp governance of public broadcasters, with the ruling Democratic Party (DP) railroading the bill despite opposition by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).

The amendment to the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act passed in a 179-1 vote at a plenary session. PPP lawmakers who had been staging a filibuster to block the bill boycotted the vote.

Under the bill, the board of directors at EBS will be expanded from nine members to 13.

The legislation is the last of three contentious broadcasting bills pushed by the DP that would eventually alter the governance structure of the three public broadcasters -- KBS, MBC and EBS -- by significantly increasing the number of their board directors and granting media and broadcasting associations, as well as related professional organizations, the right to recommend board members.

Under the revised Broadcasting Act and the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act, which both passed the Assembly earlier this month, the KBS board will be expanded from 11 to 15 members, while the board members of the Foundation for Broadcast Culture, a major shareholder of public broadcaster MBC, will be expanded from nine to 13.

With Friday's passage of the EBS Act, all three bills have been approved by parliament.

The PPP had launched a filibuster to block the bill Thursday, but the DP, which holds a majority, swiftly put the bill up for a vote after the PPP's 24-hour filibuster ended.

A filibuster involves lawmakers holding the floor for extended periods as a way to prevent a parliamentary vote or delay the passage of a bill. Under the National Assembly Act, a filibuster can be stopped after 24 hours if at least three-fifths of all parliament members, or 180 lawmakers, consent to it.

The rival parties had clashed over the broadcasting bills, with the PPP arguing they will only increase the presence of progressive figures on the boards of public broadcasters.

The DP plans to push ahead with other key bills within the August extraordinary session, including the "yellow envelope bill" aimed at broadening labor protections and a revision to the Commercial Act, Yonhap news agency reported.

The PPP has warned it will stage a filibuster for each of the bills.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Expanding boards from 9 to 13 members seems like a significant change. Wonder if this will actually improve governance or just create more bureaucracy. The opposition's concerns about progressive bias might be valid 🤔
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Aman Q
The ruling party using its majority to push through controversial bills - sounds familiar! This is why strong opposition and filibuster rights are crucial in any democracy. Hope South Korea maintains media freedom 🇮🇳🇰🇷
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Sarah B
As someone working in media, I appreciate that professional organizations get recommendation rights. This could bring more expertise to broadcasting governance. But the 179-1 vote suggests this wasn't exactly bipartisan!
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Vikram M
Public broadcasters should serve the people, not political parties. Hope these changes actually improve content quality and diversity rather than just becoming another political battleground. Media independence is non-negotiable!
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Nikhil C
The 24-hour filibuster rule seems reasonable - prevents endless obstruction while allowing meaningful opposition. More democratic systems could learn from this balanced approach to parliamentary procedures.

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