During a Cabinet meeting and emergency economic review at the Blue House, President Lee made these remarks after receiving a report from Kim Jong-cheol, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission.
"While newspapers should allow for broad competition, public broadcasters and channels are restricted by the government to prevent other operators from entering the market," President Lee stated. "This can be seen as a type of patent, and with that protection comes responsibility."
He further challenged Kim, asking, "From the public's perspective, how can we determine whether some broadcasts are affiliated with a specific political party or merely reflect personal preferences, given their lack of objectivity and frequent dissemination of false information? What happens when such practices become habitual?"
In response, Kim noted that the broadcasting review system imposes penalties, stating, "If sanctions accumulate, there could be disadvantages in the process of re-licensing and re-approval for broadcasts."
President Lee expressed skepticism, saying, "I have not heard of any significant penalties being enforced over a long period. There have been instances where people have said, 'This is really too much,' but I have not heard of any actions taken in response to that."
He emphasized the need for broadcasting and communications administration to be conducted in a calm, fair, transparent, and objective manner that aligns with public expectations. "How can we allow practices that make people frown and question their validity to persist for so long?" he asked.
President Lee concluded by stating, "We must ensure that broadcasting and communications administration is clearly aligned with the intent of the law and the expectations of the public."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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