The Broadcast Media Telecommunications Commission held its second plenary meeting of 2026 on Thursday to deliberate key issues including a ruling cancelling an approval decision related to YTN. It also decided to conduct an intensive review by forming an external legal advisory group.

At the meeting, commissioners were briefed on developments and pending issues tied to calls from the National Assembly and YTN employees, among others, to cancel the approval decision. Taking into account differing opinions and legal interpretations over key issues, including the Seoul Administrative Court ruling that cancelled approval for a change in YTN's largest shareholder, the commission decided to respond by setting up a separate external legal advisory group.

The commission also discussed corrective orders over delays at YTN and Yonhap News TV in forming and operating CEO nomination committees. Under the Broadcasting Act amended last August, the channels must form such committees and appoint representatives within 3 months of the law taking effect, but both all-news channels have not complied.

The commission plans to run the legal advisory group on the YTN issues and to address, in sequence, matters requiring deliberation, including delays in forming and operating CEO nomination committees, inspections of compliance with conditions for approval and re-approval, and follow-up steps.

Kim Jong-chul (김종철), chair of the commission, said the YTN issues were reported to the plenary meeting on Thursday, starting procedures to put on the agenda issues linked to approval for a change in the largest shareholder. He said commissioners agreed that, given the high level of interest across society including civic groups and the presence of conflict and conflicts of interest, the matter requires deliberation based on balanced expert review to ensure substantive and procedural legitimacy and on listening to a range of views.