Chairperson Kim Jong-chul of the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) said on the 15th at a briefing marking six months in office at the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gyeonggi that the commission is "keeping a close watch" on JTBC's default.
Chairperson Kim said, "I ordered a grasp of the situation and monitoring regarding JTBC's financial crisis," adding, "Based on the liquidity crunch confirmed so far, JTBC's broadcasting business itself is not likely to be directly affected immediately." Kim continued, "Coincidentally, JTBC is subject to the reapproval process," and added, "Because the key evaluation items for reapproval include assessments in finance and technology, we will pay close attention to those areas."
Chairperson Kim said the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) is actively pushing to establish a tentatively named Media Development Committee in consultation with relevant ministries and noted the commission will support discussions on an integrated media law through the Media Development Committee.
The integrated media law is a statute that encompasses existing media and new media such as over-the-top (OTT) online video services. It is a move to bring OTT operators such as Netflix and Tving under the existing broadcasting regulatory framework. Chairperson Kim said, "In a situation where the media industry environment is changing rapidly, setting the direction of future media policy is an important duty of the new Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC)," adding, "Today, media no longer remains simply in the realm of cultural consumption but has established itself as an essential foundation that supports people's daily lives and the economy and society as a whole."
Regarding the penalty surcharge related to Google's in-app payments, Chairperson Kim said, "We will formalize it soon." The Korea Communications Commission, the predecessor of the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC), determined in 2023 that Google and Apple violated the law banning forced in-app payments (the former Telecommunications Business Act) and gave notice of imposing penalty surcharges of 47.5 billion won and 20.5 billion won, respectively, but has not yet imposed them. The law prohibits app market operators from forcing specific payment methods such as in-app payments.
Chairperson Kim said, "We handle the piled-up pending issues based on three criteria—urgency, gravity, and the maturity of deliberation—and the penalty surcharge on Google's in-app payments has begun deliberation but has not been handled because it is not yet mature," adding, "You will be able to see it soon."
Chairperson Kim said, "From the moment the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) was formed, we have focused our capabilities on resolving pending issues accumulated over the past two years with the attitude of 'as fast as we were late.'"
Chairperson Kim said, "In the broadcasting and media sector, we completed the relicensing of terrestrial and pay TV, as well as the overhaul of enforcement decrees and rules following the implementation of the 'three broadcasting laws,' and the selection of organizations to recommend public broadcaster board members," adding, "We are watching the recommendation process closely and will respond based on principles so that the recommendation and appointment of public broadcaster board members can be completed quickly."
Chairperson Kim said, "In telecommunications, we are focusing on user protection and restoring market trust," adding, "We pushed to revise the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection to establish a response system to disinformation and manipulated content, and after the repeal of the Mobile Device Distribution Improvement Act, we completed the revision of the Enforcement Decree of the Telecommunications Business Act to minimize market confusion and strengthen user protection." Kim added, "We are also continuing policy efforts for the sustainable development of the media industry, such as announcing measures to promote co-prosperity and vitality in home shopping."
Chairperson Kim added, "To create a healthy media environment that supports the people's media sovereignty, we will boldly improve outdated and unreasonable regulations such as those on broadcast advertising and programming," and said, "We will continue working to establish the Korea Media and Communications Promotion Agency to unify promotion functions in the broadcasting and media sector and create a leading example of public institution reform."