President Lee Criticizes Broadcasters: "Are There Sanctions for Extreme Partisan Bias Like a Party Organ?"

Lee: "I have never heard of any actual sanctions being imposed"

On June 2, President Lee Jae-myung criticized terrestrial and general programming channels, saying, "If broadcasters lose neutrality in an extremely biased manner as if they are the mouthpiece of a political party, or if they lack fairness, are there any sanctions in place?"

During the Cabinet Meeting held at the Blue House that day, President Lee made these remarks after receiving a work report from Kim Jongcheol, Chairman of the Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission. President Lee stated, "While newspapers should be allowed to compete freely on a broad scale, terrestrial and cable channels are restricted by the government, which prevents other businesses from entering the market." He added, "You could call it a kind of privilege, and in such cases, as much as they are protected, there must also be responsibilities imposed."

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Cabinet Meeting and Emergency Economic Inspection Meeting held at the Blue House on June 2, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee then asked Chairman Kim, "From the public's perspective, what happens when certain broadcasters lack any objectivity to the point where it is impossible to tell whether they represent a specific political party or someone's personal preferences, and if they habitually spread false information, distort facts, and manipulate content?"

Chairman Kim replied, "There is a broadcasting review system, and sanctions are imposed. If sanctions accumulate, broadcasters may face disadvantages during the relicensing and reapproval processes." However, President Lee pointed out, "I have not heard of sanctions actually being imposed over such a long period," and added, "There have certainly been cases where the situation was outrageous, and yet I have never heard of any sanctions being applied in those instances."

President Lee further stated, "I believe broadcasting and communications administration must be carried out in a rational, fair, transparent, and objective manner that meets public expectations." He continued, "When the public frowns and questions whether such situations can really be left unaddressed for long periods, that is a problem." He emphasized once again, "We must ensure broadcasting and communications administration is clearly aligned with the intent of the law and with public standards."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.