With six out of the seven Commissioner seats now filled at the Korea Media and Communications Commission (the “KMCC”), the agency has resumed deliberations and resolutions on long-pending agendas. In April 2026, following deliberation and resolution, the KMCC imposed administrative surcharges and fines on location information providers. Companies are therefore advised to closely review the KMCC’s follow-up measures.
 

• Jong-Cheol Kim (Chairperson): A professor at the Yonsei University Law School and a constitutional law scholar with recognized expertise in media law. He has served as President of the Korean Society for Media Law, Ethics and Policy Research, and President of the Korean Public Law Association, among other academic roles.

• Min-Su Ko (Standing Commissioner): A professor at Kangwon National University and a constitutional law scholar. He has served as Vice President of the Korean Constitutional Law Association and a director of the Korea Law Professors Association. Earlier in his career, he worked as a member of the Broadcasting Commission and a journalist at Jeonju Television (“JTV”).

• Shin-Hwan Ryu (Non-standing Commissioner): A lawyer (Judicial Research and Training Institute, 30^th class) widely regarded as a media law expert, with experience serving as an executive committee member of the Media Victims Relief Center.

• Sung-Ok Yoon (Non-standing Commissioner): A professor in the Department of Media and Communication at Kyonggi University and a specialist in media and broadcasting policy. She previously served as a member of the Korea Communications Standards Commission.

• Sang-Geun Lee (Non-standing Commissioner): A professor at Sogang University’s School of Business, specializing in management and organizational studies. His research focuses on management information systems, with particular interest in the digital platform sector.

• Soo-Young Choi (Non-standing Commissioner): An expert in the media content industry and current Chair of the Seoul Single-Person Media Content Association, with extensive hands-on experience in content industry operations and media institution management.
   

While one standing Commissioner seat allocated to the opposition party remains vacant, the KMCC’s six-member panel satisfies the quorum requirement of at least four members. As noted by Chairperson Kim, “it has taken six months since the enactment of the KMCC Act to reach a point where the KMCC can begin addressing the backlog of pending matters,” and long-delayed deliberations and resolutions on major agendas are expected to accelerate.
 

The establishment of a six-member panel signals that the KMCC’s operations are returning to normal, with renewed momentum in addressing backlogged matters and advancing subordinate legislation following recent enactments or amendments. Service providers should therefore keep track of the KMCC’s regulatory direction and enforcement posture.

[Korean Version]