President Lee Jae Myung stated on February 24, 2026, during a Cabinet meeting that improvements to the current broadcast system are needed to provide broader public access to global sporting events, amid controversy over limited coverage of this year's Winter Olympics. He praised the performances of Korean athletes but expressed regret over the lack of public excitement compared to previous events. He urged enhancements ahead of the World Cup in North America in June.
At a Cabinet meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on February 24, 2026, President Lee Jae Myung thanked the Korean athletes and staff who participated in the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. However, he expressed regret, stating, "Despite the determination and excellent performances of Korean athletes, there was a lack of strong public excitement compared with past international events."
The president's remarks appear to reference the controversy over limited national coverage of this year's Winter Games, which were exclusively broadcast by Korean cable channel JTBC. JTBC holds the broadcasting rights for four Summer and Winter Olympic Games from 2026 to 2032 under a deal with the International Olympic Committee. The exclusive airing followed the breakdown of negotiations to resell rights to the three local terrestrial broadcasters, drawing criticism from civic groups over the restricted access.
Lee added, "With the World Cup set to be held in North America in June, the systems need to be improved to more broadly guarantee public access to international events." His comments are viewed as a call for changes ahead of the upcoming World Cup, for which JTBC also possesses exclusive rights.
During the meeting, Lee also urged efforts to enhance tourism infrastructure nationwide. Noting that about 80 percent of inbound travelers currently concentrate in Seoul, he said, "I want you to mobilize policy measures to develop region-tailored tourism programs and address chronic inconveniences ranging from transportation and accommodation to shopping and payments." He further emphasized, "Outdated practices, such as excessive customer touting or unreasonably high prices, should also be eradicated."
