The Broadcast Media Communications Commission voted to grant conditional licence renewals to 17 radio stations run by 3 broadcasters, with a licence validity period of 3 years.

The commission held its fifth plenary meeting of 2026 on April 29 and made the decision for 17 stations, including 14 KBS radio stations, 2 MBC Gyeongnam radio stations and the TBS Traffic FM station.

The stations previously scored below 650 points in renewal evaluation results at the first plenary meeting of 2026 on April 10 and proceeded with a hearing process under the Administrative Procedures Act. The commission held hearings on April 22, conducted an in-depth review of improvement plans and on April 29 made a final decision to grant conditional renewals. It may cancel the renewals if the conditions are not met.

To realise broadcasters' public responsibilities and strengthen local content, the commission imposed key conditions by broadcaster, including improving investment in local radio production and securing public interest in broadcasting. It required KBS to submit tailored improvement plans by station, including radio production investment. It also required MBC Gyeongnam to submit performance results for implementing improvement plans covering broadcast evaluation, disaster broadcasting and radio production investment.

For TBS Traffic FM, it presented key conditions including implementing measures to normalise management, improving its internal deliberation system to enhance fairness and matters related to the operation of donations. The commission said it would allow commercial advertising after comprehensively considering that TBS' financial conditions deteriorated sharply after its designation as a Seoul Metropolitan Government-funded institution was lifted in 2024, and the need to diversify funding sources raised during the hearing process.

It added that if there are major changes in management conditions, including an expansion of public support, it could review again whether to allow commercial advertising, putting in place measures to prevent harm to public interest and independence.

Chairman Kim Jong-cheol (김종철) said, "We conducted the renewal review by considering both strengthening broadcasters' public interest and their inherent responsibilities and institutional flexibility so they can respond appropriately to changes in management conditions." He added, "We will continue to check whether stations faithfully implement the renewal conditions, and if they do not, we plan to take strict measures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations."