[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] The “2026 Public Broadcasters International (PBI) Seoul General Assembly,” hosted by KBS, will be held for three days from the 14th to the 16th at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeouido and the National Museum of Korea.

Founded in 1990, PBI is a consultative body where the heads of major public broadcasters worldwide gather to discuss the role and future of public service media and to strengthen international solidarity and cooperation. KBS is the only full member and executive committee member among South Korean broadcasters. This year marks the third time KBS has hosted the assembly, following previous events in 2007 and 2018.
The theme of this General Assembly is “The Role of Public Service Media in National Culture.” It aims to explore the cultural responsibilities of public service broadcasters and directions for sustainable development amid a rapidly changing global media environment.
The General Assembly is expected to be attended by CEOs and key officials from approximately 30 public broadcasters worldwide—including the BBC (UK), NHK (Japan), Télévision France, CBC/Radio-Canada (Canada), and NPR (U.S.)—as well as diplomatic envoys from 18 countries accredited to South Korea. KBS reported that “approximately 300 people from over 120 organizations in some 40 countries around the world have registered to participate in the General Assembly.”
At 4:00 p.m. today, the first day of the General Assembly, the first Steering Committee meeting will be held, chaired by KBS President Park Jang-beom. A welcome reception for participants will take place at 7:00 p.m.
The opening ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. on the 15th. President Park Jang-beom will deliver the opening address, followed by congratulatory remarks from Song Gi-heon, Chair of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, and Kim Jong-cheol, Chair of the Korea Communications Commission. Subsequently, Secretary-General David Jordan will deliver a response on behalf of PBI. The opening ceremony will be broadcast live worldwide via KBS 1TV and the KBS+ app.
Five thematic sessions discussing the role public media has played in preserving and developing each country’s unique culture, as well as the direction for the future, will take place over two days, the 15th and 16th. On the 15th, special speakers will include Kim Seong-han, CEO of Coupang Play; Yoo Hong-jun, Director of the National Museum of Korea; and singer PSY.
On the 16th, participants are scheduled to visit the National Museum of Korea to view the “KBS K-Pop Archive Special Exhibition.” Starting at 5:00 p.m. that day, a “Music Bank Special Live Broadcast Commemorating the PBI Seoul General Assembly” will take place on a special outdoor stage at the National Museum of Korea.
KBS stated, “Through this Seoul General Assembly, we plan to strengthen our cooperative network with public broadcasters worldwide and use this as an opportunity to showcase the international standing of South Korea’s public broadcasting and the competitiveness of Korean cultural content to the world.”