Representative Kim Hyun, who serves as the ranking member of the Democratic Party of Korea on the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, emphasized the need to expedite policy discussions to support the cable TV industry.
Speaking at a seminar titled "The Era of 5 Megaregions and 3 Special Provinces: The Role of Local Channels and the Future of Cable TV," held at the National Assembly today (June 30), Rep. Kim stated, "The transfer of paid broadcasting affairs from the Ministry of Science and ICT to the Broadcasting and Media Commission represents a fundamental and qualitative change."
The "5 Megaregions and 3 Special Provinces" initiative refers to a plan to promote balanced national development by dividing the country into five super-regional economic zones and three special self-governing provinces to address the concentration of population and infrastructure in Seoul and the metropolitan area.
Rep. Kim specifically pointed out, "There is a Local Broadcasting Development Committee under the Broadcasting and Media Commission, but it likely has not reviewed these issues," adding, "If handled by the commission, we may not see any meaningful results even by the time Chairman Kim Jong-chul's term ends."
She further added, "The question of how to revive cable TV must be made an urgent agenda item."
During today's seminar, opinions were also raised regarding the need for regulatory improvements to enhance the self-sustainability of cable TV System Operators (SOs).
Professor Yoo Kyung-han of Jeonbuk National University, who delivered the keynote presentation, assessed that the current structure, in which private operators bear almost the entire cost despite cable TV SOs performing public functions in local regions, is not sustainable.
Professor Ahn Cha-soo of Kyungnam University, who participated in the discussion, suggested that support for cable TV should not be approached merely as industrial aid, but from the perspective of social investment to maintain local democracy.
Professor Lee Seung-hyun of Dong Seoul College also stated, "If local character is a public value, a minimum institutional foundation must be established so that the entities performing this role can continue to function."
Ko Min-soo, a standing commissioner of the Broadcasting and Media Commission, said, "It is time to reflect once again on the public value and social role of local channels and to contemplate policy support and institutional improvement directions for a sustainable local media ecosystem," adding, "We will actively refer to various opinions and suggestions from academia and the field in the process of pursuing the commission's policies."
Kang Dong-wan, Director of the New Media Policy Division at the Broadcasting and Media Commission, also stated, "The commission is also reviewing plans to revitalize paid broadcasting," and added, "We will actively incorporate the various opinions presented at this seminar into our policy review process."