Court dismisses TBS status lawsuit by union and staff

According to KBS, the Seoul Administrative Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by the TBS labor union and employees against the Minister of the Interior and Safety over TBS's removal from the list of institutions invested in or funded by a local government.

KBS reported that the court's 11th Administrative Division dismissed the case on July 10, finding that the plaintiffs lacked standing. The lawsuit sought cancellation of the notice that removed TBS from the designation.

The court said, 'The addressee of the notice is TBS,' and stated that the union and employees did not have a legally recognized interest to dispute the notice's effect, according to KBS.

The court also said that even if the removal left TBS without a legal basis to receive contributions from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and reduced its income, any effect on the union or employees' working conditions, freedom of broadcasting or programming rights was only an indirect and factual effect. KBS reported that the court found it difficult to view the notice as directly infringing the plaintiffs' legally protected interests.

According to KBS, the Seoul Metropolitan Government promulgated an ordinance in December 2022 abolishing the ordinance on the establishment and operation of Seoul Media Foundation TBS, which had provided the basis for financial support to TBS.

KBS reported that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety later removed TBS from the designation as an institution invested in or funded by a local government in September 2024, and that the TBS union and employees filed the cancellation lawsuit in response.