[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] KBS President Park Jang-beom once again highlighted the organization’s management crisis and urged the government and political circles to provide policy support and regulatory reforms to ensure a stable financial foundation for public broadcasting.

In a commemorative address delivered on the 2nd, one day before the “63rd Broadcasting Day,” President Park emphasized the significance of the occasion, stating, “‘Broadcasting Day’ is a meaningful day for us to reflect on the path we have taken and reaffirm our commitment to a future alongside the public.”
He continued, “However, when we reflect on that significance, the current operational reality facing public broadcasting goes beyond mere hardship—it is in a serious crisis that threatens its very existence.” He added, “Dominance in the content market is shifting to global platforms, and skyrocketing production costs coupled with a shrinking advertising market are undermining the very foundation of public broadcasting’s survival.”
President Park expressed concern, stating, “KBS, too, has reached a point of financial strain, with another deficit expected this year,” and added, “The financial difficulties facing public broadcasting are not limited to KBS alone. They directly impact the survival of countless small and medium-sized production companies that work alongside us in the broadcasting ecosystem, as well as the job security of many colleagues working on the front lines of broadcast production.”
He continued, “The response shown by the political sphere and the government amid these changes is disappointing and regrettable,” and mentioned the need to raise the license fee.
President Park explained, “The KBS license fee has been frozen for a full 45 years—since 1981—without a single increase.”
He continued, “Since 1981, the consumer price index has risen nearly fivefold, and the salaries of National Assembly members—funded by taxpayers’ money—have increased at a rate far exceeding the inflation rate compared to 45 years ago. “However, the license fee—which serves as the minimum financial foundation enabling public broadcasting to fulfill its role for the public—has been neglected for nearly half a century,” he said, emphasizing, “Among countries with a public broadcasting system, South Korea is the only one where the license fee has remained frozen for 45 years.”
He also pointed out, “If the license fee remains frozen, there should at least be a path open for public broadcasters to devise self-help measures by utilizing their own assets to generate revenue. However, outdated laws and excessive government regulations are hindering public broadcasters’ legitimate use of assets and diversification of revenue,” adding, “The government’s media policies to date have failed to properly reflect the realities of the rapidly changing content market.”
Furthermore, he argued, “The crisis facing public broadcasters and other terrestrial broadcasters stems not only from changes in the media environment but also from the political sphere and the government, which have neglected public media assets, tied their hands with outdated regulations, and viewed public broadcasters solely as objects of political strife.”
President Park went on to say, “On the occasion of Broadcasting Day, I make this earnest appeal: public broadcasting is no longer a subject of political strife,” and urged, “I ask for responsible policies and support so that, amid this crisis in the media environment, public broadcasting can firmly establish itself as a reliable and trustworthy broadcaster for viewers.”
Earlier, in July, President Park announced that the broadcaster was entering a company-wide crisis management system due to an expected deficit in the 10 billion won range this year. In his commemorative address, he stated, “KBS will no longer rest on its laurels by clinging to familiar practices of the past,” adding, “Through company-wide pain-sharing, we will boldly cut unnecessary expenses and concentrate all resources on public content essential to the people, strengthening our digital capabilities, and AI-based efficiency improvements.”
Meanwhile, although President Park was originally appointed for a three-year term and has approximately one year and three months remaining, the KBS Board of Directors is proceeding with the selection process for his successor in accordance with a supplementary provision of the Broadcasting Act, which stipulates that the current president may remain in office only until a successor is appointed under the revised law.
The KBS Board of Directors held a regular meeting on the 26th of last month and passed a resolution on “Procedures and Methods for Nominating the 28th President.” The board plans to finalize the president recruitment proposal on the 9th and begin the recruitment process on the 10th.
In this regard, it is reported that President Park requested the Board of Directors to postpone the relevant resolution. President Park argues that the KBS Board of Directors lacks the legal legitimacy to appoint a new president because only eight of the 15 board members have been appointed.