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2h ago

National Assembly Passes Final Bill Overhauling Public Broadcaster Boards

The ruling party used its majority to complete changes expanding boards at KBS, MBC, EBS.

Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party stage a filibuster to block the passage of an amendment to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul in this Aug. 5, 2025, file photo. (Yonhap)
The National Assembly passes an amendment to the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act during a plenary session on Aug. 22, 2025. (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • The Assembly approved the EBS governance bill in a 179–1 vote after a 24-hour opposition filibuster ended, with People Power Party lawmakers boycotting the vote.
  • With this vote, all three broadcasting bills are now passed, following earlier revisions to the Broadcasting Act and Thursday’s amendment to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture law.
  • Under the package, the KBS board expands from 11 to 15, MBC’s Foundation for Broadcast Culture board grows from 9 to 13, and the EBS board increases from 9 to 13.
  • The FBC revision introduces multi-source nominations for board seats and creates a 100-member citizen committee to recommend CEO candidates for MBC.
  • The People Power Party contends the changes favor progressive figures and plans further filibusters as the Democratic Party moves next on the labor ‘yellow envelope’ bill and a Commercial Act revision.