Article 9(Grounds for disqualification) #
(1) None of the following persons may become a representative director or editor of a news communications business entity: <Amended on Mar. 21, 2017; Nov. 28, 2017; Aug. 8, 2023>
1. A person who is not a citizen of the Republic of Korea;
2. A person who has no address in the Republic of Korea;
3. A member of a political party under the Political Parties Act;
4. A person for whom his or her imprisonment without labor or greater punishment declared by a court was not completely executed or the non-execution of such sentence has not become final for committing any crime provided in the Act on Promotion of Periodicals, including Magazines, the Broadcasting Act, the Internet Multimedia Broadcast Services Act, the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, the Telecommunications Business Act, the Radio Waves Act, or the Copyright Act, or committing a crime under Articles 87 through 90 or 92 through 101 of the Criminal Act, Articles 5 through 8, 9 (2), or 11 through 16 of the Military Criminal Act, or Articles 3 through 9 of the National Security Act;
4-2. A person who is under suspension of the execution of his or her imprisonment without labor or greater punishment declared by a court for committing a crime provided in the Act on Promotion of Periodicals, including Magazines, the Broadcasting Act, the Internet Multimedia Broadcast Services Act, the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, the Telecommunications Business Act, the Radio Waves Act, or the Copyright Act, or committing a crime under Articles 87 through 90 or 92 through 101 of the Criminal Act, Articles 5 through 8, 9 (2), or 11 through 16 of the Military Criminal Act, or Articles 3 through 9 of the National Security Act;
5. A person under security surveillance under the Security Surveillance Act, a person under probation under the Social Protection Act (referring to the Act prior to repeal by Act No. 7656) or a person under medical treatment and custody under the Medical Treatment and Custody Act;
6. A person who has been sentenced to a fine or a heavier punishment for violating this Act and for whom two years have not elapsed since the execution of such punishment is terminated or the exemption of such punishment is made final and definite;
7. A representative director or an editor of a news communications business entity, the registration of which is revoked by reason of violating of this Act and for whom two years have not elapsed since such registration is revoked;
8. A minor, person under adult guardianship, or person under limited guardianship;
9. A bankrupt who has not been reinstated.
(2) When a representative director or editor of a news communications business entity registered under Article 8 falls under grounds for disqualification prescribed in paragraph (1), the registration to change the representative director or editor of the news communications business entity shall be filed within one month after such grounds arise.
(3) No person who is not a corporation may run news communications business.
(4) None of the following persons shall run news communications business:
1. A foreign government, or foreign corporation or organization;
2. A corporation or organization, the representative of which falls under paragraph (1) 1 or 2;
3. A corporation in which foreigners or foreign corporations or organizations hold not less than 25/100 of its shares or equity.
(5) When a person running or intending to run news communications business accepts property from foreigners or foreign corporations or organizations as an investment, he or she shall submit a document proving the fact that such investment was reported to the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Resources under Article 5 of the Foreign Investment Promotion Act to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism within 15 days from the date on which such investment was reported or when filing for registration. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jan. 27, 2016; Oct. 1, 2025>
[This Article Wholly Amended on Apr. 14, 2011]