South Korea names ex-journalist Ko Gwangheon as chair of Korea's media regulator

A South Korean media ethics and regulation body, the Broadcasting, Media and Telecommunications Deliberation and Oversight Commission (방송미디어통신심의위원회, 방미심위), elected a chair candidate with a journalism background on Wednesday. Ko Gwangheon, a former journalist, was chosen as the inaugural candidate for the panel’s chair.

At the first regular meeting held on the 12th, Ko attended and was elected as chair candidate. The following day, the nine-member 방미심위 gathered in Mok-dong, Seoul for its first full meeting of the year, after completing the current roster. The body planned to elect a chair and a vice chair, with all nine members present for the first time since April of the previous year.

Ko Gwangheon’s background includes tenure as a Hankyoreh reporter, and he has served as president and chief executive of Hankyoreh, chair of the Korea Human Rights Foundation, and chief executive of Seoul Shinmun. He has been serving as a 방미심위 member since Dec. 29 of last year, appointed by President Lee Jae-myung, with a three-year term through Dec. 28, 2028.

Under Korea’s system, the chair of 방미심위 is a political appointee who must undergo and clear a confirmation hearing before the National Assembly’s Science and ICT Committee. If the nominee passes that hearing, the president makes the final appointment. This marks a shift from the prior system, when the chair was a civilian.

Kim Min-jung, a professor in the Media and Communication department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), was elected as vice chair. She joined 방미심위 on Feb. 13 at the recommendation of the National Assembly Speaker and will serve until Feb. 12, 2029. Until a chair is confirmed, she is expected to handle the chair’s duties as acting chair.

The meeting also planned to elect regular or standing members, but that vote was postponed to the next session. Traditionally, standing members have been recommended by the Speaker after negotiations with the opposition. Kim Woo-seok had been anticipated for the post, but some members opposed his selection, citing allegations that he led what critics described as delaying deliberations. The Korean Federation of Media Workers held a press conference outside the 방미심위, calling for Kim Woo-seok’s resignation.

방미심위 regulates broadcasting, media and online communications in Korea, functioning as a standards and ethics body within the country’s broader regulatory framework for digital media. The leadership shakeup is of broader interest to international observers because Korea’s regulatory environment affects global tech and media companies operating there, including streaming platforms and content services, and can influence cross-border data policies, platform accountability, and digital governance.

For U.S. readers, the leadership process underscores how Seoul integrates parliamentary oversight with executive appointments to Korea’s media regulation regime. Leadership directions at 방미심위 can shape moderation standards, privacy and consumer protections, and the enforcement climate for digital platforms that operate in or with Korea, impacting markets and compliance for American tech and media firms.