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DP railroads broadcasting bill after terminating PPP filibuster

Published: 05 Aug. 2025, 19:54 Updated: 05 Aug. 2025, 20:04

The amendment to the Broadcasting Act is passed at the National Assembly, western Seoul, on Aug. 5. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

The Democratic Party (DP) pushed through a controversial broadcasting bill on Tuesday that mandates the replacement of all board members and executives at major public broadcasters within three months, escalating a partisan clash over media control and triggering fierce resistance from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).

In the plenary session, the PPP launched a filibuster in protest that began on Monday at 4:01 p.m.

The DP leaders invoked cloture 24 hours later and proceeded to a vote on the broadcasting bill that saw 178 lawmakers in favor and two opposed out of 180 present.

The PPP lawmakers walked out in protest. Under National Assembly rules, a filibuster can be stopped by a vote after 24 hours if at least three-fifths of members — or 179 lawmakers — support ending the debate.

The DP submitted its motion to conclude the filibuster just three minutes after it began on Monday and secured support from 188 lawmakers in the liberal coalition bloc.

The bill is the first legislation introduced after the election of DP leader Jung Chung-rae.

The bill mandates replacing all members of the KBS board within three months and appointing a public nomination committee of over 100 citizens to recommend the next KBS president.

It also extends to private broadcasters, with the bill mandating that operators and news chiefs at channels such as YTN and Yonhap News TV must step down within three months.

The revision requires broadcasters to establish their president-selection committee in agreement with their labor union — potentially boosting union influence in management.

YTN and Yonhap News TV bargaining units are represented by branches of the National Union of Mediaworkers, which falls under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.

The revision also introduces an appointment consent system, where more than half the reporting staff must approve any director of news.

A ten-member programming committee must now feature equal numbers of representatives from labor and management. Violations can result in up to one year in prison.

The PPP criticized the legislation as an attempt to dominate public and private broadcasters.

Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae, second from left, and floor leader Kim Byung-kee, far left, meet at the National Assembly, western Seoul, on Aug. 5. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

“The real intent behind the Broadcasting Act currently under filibuster is to appoint a KBS president and news chief who align with the Lee Jae Myung administration,” People Power Party emergency committee chair and floor leader Song Eon-seog said at a party meeting on Tuesday. "The so-called three broadcasting control bills are a prelude to dictatorship by the Lee administration."

PPP Policy Committee Chair Kim Jeong-jae also criticized the bill, saying, "The very idea of creating pro-regime media signals a threat to democracy and an insult to the public.”

The PPP is considering filing a constitutional petition with the Constitutional Court.

PPP lawmaker Shin Dong-uk launched remarks during the filibuster, accusing the DP of "choking media freedom in a manner reminiscent of the 1980 military regime’s media consolidation."

DP lawmakers defended the law, saying that these reforms secure public participation and reduce political oversight over public broadcasters.

“This bill aims to secure political independence and improve the governance structure of public broadcasters,” DP lawmaker Kim Hyun said. “Calling it an attempt to seize control of broadcasting is absurd and an outright lie.”

DP lawmaker Noh Jong-myun delivered the longest speech of the filibuster, speaking for about nine hours and five minutes. He took the floor after PPP lawmaker Lee Sang-hwi and continued from 7:08 a.m. until the filibuster ended at 4:13 p.m.

Rep. Noh Jong-myun of the Democratic Party speaks for nine hours in a filibuster for the amendment to the Broadcasting Act at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Aug. 5. [NEWS1]

PPP members denounced the vote conclusion, with PPP lawmaker Choi Soo-jin accusing the DP of "encroaching on opposition rights."

The DP plans to pass the remaining Broadcast Act, along with the "Yellow Envelope Act" and amendments to the Commercial Act, later this month.

The August extraordinary session of the National Assembly begins on Wednesday, but the plenary session is scheduled for Aug. 21 to account for the summer vacation period.

"We are reviewing alternative bills on the Yellow Envelope Act and the Commercial Act,” a PPP official told the JoongAng Ilbo. “If the DP pushes through bills that contain unconstitutional provisions, we will file separate constitutional petitions for each.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM GYU-TAE [[email protected]]