Five reasons to support collection of KBS TV license fees

Since September 2024, I have had the privilege of serving on the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) Audience Council, where I participate in official meetings twice a month. My association with KBS dates back to May 1990, when I worked as a social affairs journalist for the Hankyoreh newspaper. During that period, I covered the so-called “Broadcast Democratization Movement,” which involved both KBS and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). This experience deepened my understanding of the vital role that broadcasting plays — particularly KBS, whose influence was once likened to that of the nation’s highest-ranking officials. However, it is important to examine the current state of KBS. It is evident that the organization has seen a significant decline in the public's trust. There are numerous factors contributing to this decline — both internal and external— but here I would like to focus on the issue of the TV license fee, commonly referred to as the viewing fee. Currently, the fee is set at 2,500 won per month, or 30,000 won per year. This fee has fluctuated over time, depenWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times