Government legislation ministry rules on quorum for media commission

The Ministry of Government Legislation said that members recused from specific agendas due to conflicts of interest count toward the quorum required to open meetings of the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission, but cannot be included in the headcount needed to pass votes.

In a formal interpretation issued to the commission, the ministry also ruled that members who leave a meeting before it concludes cannot be counted as present for either convening or voting purposes.

The ministry explained that while recusal rules bar conflicted members from deliberating on specific cases, these members retain their status as committee constituents. Excluding them from the opening quorum could prevent the body from ever convening if enough members have conflicts, undermining operational stability while still preserving fairness by barring them from the final vote.

Regarding members who depart early, the ministry stated that physical presence throughout the session is a prerequisite for being considered an attending member. Because the committee is designed as a collegial administrative body where decisions form through mutual discussion, those who exit forfeit their ability to influence the headcount for both opening the floor and finalizing decisions.

The ruling responds to inquiries about the application of the Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission, specifically concerning articles governing meeting protocols and member disqualification.