South Korea’s Cabinet passed a motion requesting parliamentary reconsideration of four broadcasting bills passed by the opposition-controlled National Assembly last week. The bills aim to change the governance structure of public broadcasters KBS, MBC and EBS by increasing the number of board directors and to modify the decision-making rules at the Korea Communications Commission (KCC). The motion will be sent to President Yoon Suk-yeol for endorsement, after which the bills will return to the Assembly for a revote.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo criticized the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) for disregarding the government’s reasons for demanding reconsideration last year and accused it of further violating the president’s appointment powers by limiting his ability to dismiss heads of public broadcasters.