The number of directors at the Korean Broadcasting Culture Foundation, the major shareholder of MBC, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) will be expanded from 9 to 13. Additionally, a public recommendation committee for presidential candidates will be operated.
The Korea Communications Commission announced on the 8th that the partial amendment laws of the ‘Broadcasting Culture Promotion Act’ and the ‘EBS Act’, which were approved by the Cabinet on the 2nd, will be implemented on the 9th.
First, the number of directors at the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation and EBS will be expanded from 9 to 13. The organizations that can recommend directors include the National Assembly, employees and viewer committees of broadcasters, and broadcasting media societies. Additionally, for the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation, lawyer organizations will be able to recommend, and for EBS, the Minister of Education, councils of education superintendents, and education-related organizations will recommend directors.
Furthermore, a ‘Public Recommendation Committee for Presidential Candidates’ will be established at both the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation and EBS for the appointment of their president. The board will finalize the presidential candidate with a special majority decision that requires the agreement of at least three-fifths of its members.
The Korea Communications Commission must establish rules regarding these amendments, such as the organizations eligible to recommend board members (broadcast media societies, lawyer associations, education-related organizations) and the criteria for public opinion polling agencies related to forming the presidential candidate recommendation committee.