Broadcasters' union protests against deregulatory push

SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Yonhap) -- Thousands of unionized workers at South Korea's
broadcasting stations launched a coordinated walkout Friday to protest against
the ruling party's plan to deregulate laws governing ownership of broadcasters
and introduce other competition-inducing bills.
The National Union of Media Workers (NUMW), which represents unions of some 120
television and radio stations, said its members halted production as of 6 a.m.
Some, however, took part in the protest by reporting on their cause in news
programs.
Some 2,000 workers, including reporters and producers at the top three
broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS, are staging a rally in central Seoul from 2 p.m.,
according to the union. Most news and other real-time programs were aired
normally by non-union workers.
The protest, set to continue for an indefinite number of days, comes as the
ruling Grand National Party plans to introduce seven bills aimed at easing laws
that restrict television and radio station ownership.
The party, together with the Korea Communications Commission, also plans to allow
simultaneous operation of both newspaper and broadcasting stations by a single
owner, which is banned under current laws.
"The strike is aimed at stopping the administration from reorganizing the
nation's broadcasting industry to allow ownership by large conglomerates," said
Choi Sang-jae, head of NUMW.
Television and radio stations, however, will mostly run their regular programs
for the time being, as most stations' production schedules run two weeks prior to
airing, according to NUMW.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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