The bill, Amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, introduced by Representative Kim Hyun to establish the Audiovisual Media and Communications Commission, seeks to abolish the current Korea Communications Standards Commission and create a new regulatory body. It designates the chairperson as a political appointee subject to confirmation and impeachment procedures, and it introduces a new mandate for reviewing the “public morals” of digital content.
We, 15 Civil society groups, opposing the bill, argue that these changes would transform the commission from a nominally independent body into a direct administrative agency, thereby enabling state censorship in violation of Article 21 of the Constitution, which prohibits censorship by administrative authorities. We stress that the real solution is not to strengthen governmental oversight but to dismantle or limit the commission’s powers and instead shift toward a system of independent self-regulation.
The bill also proposes specific authority to review the “public morals” of online video services, raising further concerns of overreach. Past cases, such as the blocking of a satirical video of former President Yoon Suk-yeol in 2024, show how “public morals” review can suppress lawful and critical expression.
We contend that the bill institutionalizes state censorship under the guise of reform, contradicting constitutional protections for freedom of expression. We urge the Democratic Party to withdraw the bill in its current form and to explore alternative institutional reforms that safeguard rights rather than erode them.
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