Kim Jong-cheol, chairman of the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission (BMCC), said Wednesday that he would "actively push for institutional reforms to strengthen platform accountability for distributing clearly illegal information — including drugs, gambling, sexual exploitation material and copyright-infringing content — so that swifter blocking becomes possible."
At a press conference held at the Gwacheon Government Complex marking his 100th day in office, Kim said, "Recent issues such as algorithm bias, filter bubbles, deceptive practices like dark patterns, disinformation, and digital sex crime content are shaking the foundations of safety and trust in our society."
The BMCC plans to establish a Transparency Center as a dedicated body to support the eradication of illegal information. "We will make clear that acts that undermine social trust by violating the dignity, value and right to pursue happiness guaranteed by the Constitution cannot be protected as freedom of expression, and we will respond more actively and systematically," Kim explained.
Addressing youth over-dependence on social networking services was also cited as a major priority this year. "Protecting youth is a core responsibility of media policy," Kim said. "We will actively support efforts to bring together diverse experts and stakeholders alongside the National Assembly to discuss solutions to the negative impact of SNS over-dependence on adolescent mental health development."
The commission also outlined plans to overhaul its regulatory governance in line with intensifying global media competition. A bill to establish a new agency dedicated to broadcasting and media promotion under the BMCC has been introduced in the National Assembly. "In an environment of deepening global media competition, neither promotion without regulation nor regulation without promotion is sustainable," Kim said. "As a bill related to the establishment of the Korea Broadcasting Media Communications Promotion Agency (tentative name) has recently been introduced in the National Assembly, we will actively support the legislative process to ensure that a reasonable and effective system is established by fully gathering opinions from all sectors of society."