KBS Raises Issue with KCC’s Approval of Changing License Fee Collection

This report was originally published on KBS.

The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) has raised issue with the decision by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) to approve the separation of license fees for KBS and the Education Broadcasting System (EBS) from electricity bills.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the public broadcaster said procedural problems were made in the commission’s decision-making and called for sufficient time to hold a comprehensive social discussion on public broadcasting.

KBS said the KCC had passed the original version of the enforcement ordinance revisions in just ten days, which the company cited was just one-fourth of the 40-day period for advance legislation notice process.

Read more: South Korean public broadcaster’s viability in question in the face of funding threat: Global Task Force for public media

KBS went on to say that the commission had refused the broadcaster’s request to submit a statement on its opinions regarding the change to license fee collection.

KBS mentioned that the KCC had also dismissed opinions submitted by the Korea Electric Power Corporation which is entrusted with collecting the license fees.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state broadcasting watchdog approved revisions to an enforcement ordinance to separate the collection of television license fees from household electricity bills.

The revisions will be subject to approvals by a vice-ministerial meeting, the Cabinet and President Yoon Suk Yeol before being promulgated by as early as mid-July.

– KBS

The Public Media Alliance stands in solidarity with our member, KBS, as well as EBS. Stable and secure funding is one of the foundations of a strong and independent public service media. The efforts from the government to make wholesale changes to both public broadcasters’ funding mechanism will have significant repercussions and will affect both organisations’ ability to provide the value and services audiences expect. PMA supports KBS’ moves to appeal the decision, and will continue to support KBS in its attempts to prevent these changes from occurring.