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A busy first year for Korea’s broadcasting watchdog ends this Thursday
March 23, 2009
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“The upcoming year will see a ‘big bang’ in the broadcasting and telecommunications industry,” Choi See-joong, chairman of the KCC, told journalists at the KCC anniversary workshop at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy’s training institute in Cheonan, South Chungcheong on Friday. “In the beginning, we faced difficulty in uniting our employees, but overall, I think that we were able to stabilize in a relatively short period.” The KCC was formed a year ago, combining the former Ministry of Information and Communication and the Korean Broadcasting Commission. When Choi took office last March, numerous civic groups protested his appointment. Choi, a former chairman of Gallup Korea, has been a close confidant of President Lee Myung-bak’s for over 30 years. During the workshop, Choi said that 2013, when the government aims to end all analog television broadcasting and replace them with digital signals, will mark a new era. “By looking at the merger of KT and KTF, we can witness this [consolidation] happening,” Choi commented. The commission had a busy year. Over the last 12 months, it oversaw a total of 331 bills, including the IPTV (Internet protocol TV) law that gave a green light to online television services by the three broadband operators KT, SK Broadband and LG Dacom. Choi said in 2009 the KCC will continue to repeal unnecessary laws, promote convergence in broadcasting and telecommunications and encourage competition among broadcasters and related operators. “Although I have some regrets, I did my best to execute my duty as the chairman of the KCC and am thankful to be able to serve the public,” Choi said. By Cho Jae-eun Staff Reporter[jainnie@joongang.co.kr] |
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