▲ Kim Jong-cheol, Chairperson of the Broadcasting, Media, and Communications Commission, presiding over the 20th plenary meeting.
The Broadcasting, Media, and Communications Commission has approved an amendment to its notification that expands the scope of mandatory broadcasting for the disabled to include all individuals with disabilities and imposes an obligation on Over-the-Top (OTT) service providers to make efforts to provide such content.
In addition, the commission processed an amendment to the enforcement decree of the Information and Communications Network Act to address illegal and false manipulated information.
The commission announced that it held its 20th plenary meeting in Gwacheon on June 29 and deliberated and approved the partial amendment to the Notification on Guaranteeing Broadcasting Access Rights for the Disabled, including the programming and provision of broadcasting for the disabled.
The amendment expands the target for mandatory broadcasting for the disabled from the existing focus on the visually and hearing impaired to include all individuals with physical or mental disabilities, and imposes an obligation on OTT operators to make efforts to provide such content.
The commission has also established a new obligation for broadcasters to make efforts to expand programming for the disabled during prime time, specifically from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM on weekdays and 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM on weekends and public holidays.
Furthermore, it decided to reduce the administrative burden on broadcasters by simplifying the criteria for designating mandatory providers based on broadcasting revenue and adjusting the frequency of performance evaluations from twice a year to at least once a year.
The partial amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, which was also approved on this day, defines social media services (SNS), online communities, and video-sharing services with an average of 1 million or more daily users over the previous three months as large-scale information and communications services.
These operators will be required to establish operational policies to respond to illegal and false manipulated information and to publish related reports.
Additionally, the amendment allows for a fine of up to 1 billion won to be imposed on posters who repeatedly distribute information confirmed by the court as illegal or false and manipulated to generate advertising revenue.
The commission stated that it plans to cooperate with businesses to establish a response system for illegal and false manipulated information while also expanding media literacy education for the public.
The results of the 2025 performance evaluation for the provision of broadcasting for the disabled were also reported during the meeting.
Among the 108 operators subject to evaluation, 12 were found to have failed to meet the mandatory requirements for closed captioning.
On the other hand, it was found that all operators complied with the requirements for audio description and Korean Sign Language broadcasting.
The commission plans to require these operators to submit improvement plans and reflect the evaluation results in broadcasting assessments and the provision of production cost support for broadcasting for the disabled.
In addition, the commission received a report on the Development Strategy for the Location Information Industry Ecosystem, which encompasses the promotion of the location information industry, public safety, and user protection in response to changes in the artificial intelligence (AI) and digital environment.
The commission announced that it plans to promote regulatory improvements to revitalize the location information industry and upgrade emergency rescue systems.
It also plans to refine the system to allow fire departments and the Korea Coast Guard to request location information when receiving third-party reports, introduce vertical location information for high-rise building rescues, and regulate the sale of illegal location trackers.
Kim Jong-cheol, Chairperson of the Broadcasting, Media, and Communications Commission, said, "We will strive to create an industrial ecosystem that balances industrial revitalization, public safety, and user protection."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.