South Korea's National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on Jan. 29 held a full meeting and approved a motion to recommend 3 people as members of the Broadcasting, Media and Telecommunications Review Committee: Hong Mi-ae (홍미애), former head of the Sejong City Viewer Media Center; Koo Jong-sang (구종상), a former member of the Korea Communications Standards Commission; and Kim Il-gon (김일곤), former president of Gyeongnam MBC.

The committee's share of the nominations was decided through talks between the ruling and opposition parties. Hong, recommended by the Democratic Party, is a former Daejeon Maeil reporter and a media expert who led the Daejeon and Sejong City viewer media centers at the Korea Communications Agency.

Koo, recommended by the People Power Party, is a distinguished professor in the Department of Broadcasting and Video at Dongseo University and previously served as a communications standards commissioner. Kim, also recommended by the People Power Party, previously served as president of Gyeongnam MBC and also served on the communications standards body's presidential election broadcast review committee.

The newly launched Broadcasting, Media and Telecommunications Review Committee will replace the existing Korea Communications Standards Commission and will have 9 members. The breakdown is 3 nominated by the president, 3 recommended by the National Assembly speaker and 3 recommended by the National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee.

Earlier, President Lee Jae-myung (이재명) on Dec. 28 last year appointed 3 members under the president's share: Ko Kwang-heon (고광헌), former Seoul Shinmun president; Cho Seung-ho (조승호), a former YTN reporter; and lawyer Kim Jun-hyun (김준현). With the committee's recommendations now complete, the nine-member lineup will be in place once the remaining 3 seats, which are allocated to the National Assembly speaker, are filled.

The recommendations came 118 days after the Broadcasting, Media and Telecommunications Review Committee was launched with a legal basis.