[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah ] KTCorporation(030200)has apologized to the broadcaster and viewers regarding the suspension of Unification TV’s broadcasts. However, Unification TV claims it suffered losses of 4 billion won during the approximately four years its broadcasts were suspended and is demanding compensation for damages and a full investigation into the matter.

Although the court ruled that the revocation of Unification TV’s registration as a program provider (PP) was unlawful, and the government decided not to appeal, making the ruling final, the issues of damages and liability resulting from the broadcast suspension remain unresolved.

During the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee hearing on the 12th, Representative Kim Hyun demanded an official apology from KTCorporation and asked Jin Cheon-gyu, CEO of Unification TV, to explain the circumstances at the time.

Park Hyun-jin, KT’s Executive Vice President, said, “I sincerely apologize to the business operators and viewers who experienced inconvenience due to this matter,” adding, “We will establish measures to prevent a recurrence so that channel operations can be conducted transparently and fairly in the future, and we will strive to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.”

CEO Jin revealed that Unification TV’s broadcast was suspended just two hours after receiving notice of contract termination from KTCorporation at 5:00 p.m. on January 18, 2023. He raised procedural concerns regarding the action, stating, “They suspended the broadcast without giving us even a single opportunity to explain ourselves.”

Unification TV began broadcasting on August 18, 2022, on Channel 262 of KTCorporation Olleh TV (now Genie TV) during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. CEO Jin claimed that the station continued 24-hour broadcasting for approximately five months afterward and did not receive a single caution or warning regarding its programming.

At the time, Unification TV was embroiled in controversy over allegedly glorifying the North Korean regime after airing footage from North Korea’s Korean Central Television. KTCorporation suspended IPTV broadcasts citing concerns over violations of the National Security Act, and subsequently, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Communications Commission revoked Unification TV’s PP registration.

However, the courts ruled otherwise. Following the Seoul Administrative Court, the Seoul High Court also ruled that the revocation of Unification TV’s PP registration was unlawful. The courts held that it was difficult to conclude that Unification TV’s registration had been obtained through means deemed improper by social norms. After the government decided not to appeal, the ruling became final, and Unification TV regained its PP status.

The Korea Communications Commission also expressed regret, stating that the government agencies’ actions had curtailed freedom of broadcasting and the public’s right to view programming. Although the court’s ruling found the actions unlawful and the government issued an official expression of regret, the question of how to compensate Unification TV for the business losses it claims remains a separate issue.

The fallout from the administrative action at the time also extended to the officials involved. Some staff members at the Ministry of Science and ICT who were in charge of registration procedures received disciplinary actions such as suspension from duty, transfer, pay cuts, and suspension without pay. Oh Yong-soo, who was the Director General of Broadcasting Policy at the time and was responsible for approving the registration, was reinstated after the court ruled that the disciplinary action was unlawful; however, since some employees who were disciplined for the same matter did not file separate lawsuits, controversy over fairness regarding their potential relief remained.

Rep. Kim Hyun had previously raised the issue of fairness regarding the disciplinary actions against civil servants involved with Unification TV during last year’s parliamentary audit. During this year’s audit, attention was once again drawn not only to the circumstances surrounding the suspension of broadcasts and administrative sanctions imposed on the broadcaster but also to the damages incurred and questions of liability arising from the process.

Chairman Jin claimed that Unification TV had suffered financial losses totaling 4 billion won over the approximately four years since its broadcast suspension. Noting that the company had not received compensation from the government, he demanded, “Appropriate measures must be taken.” He went on to urge a fact-finding investigation at the National Assembly level, stating, “We must thoroughly examine the process at that time and clearly establish the facts.”

Although Unification TV’s PP status was restored following the court’s ruling that the suspension was unlawful and the government’s expression of regret, the question of how to compensate for the losses caused by the suspension and the harm suffered by those involved remains an unresolved issue. It remains to be seen whether KTCorporation’s apology will be limited to a promise to prevent a recurrence or whether it will lead to follow-up discussions regarding the issues of damages and liability.