As cable giant shuts out rivals, Lee seeks to topple Olympic paywall

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for changes to the law to ensure what he described as “universal access” to major sporting events, criticizing a private broadcaster that secured exclusive rights to the Olympics and the 2026 World Cup.

While Lee did not name the company, his remarks clearly targeted JTBC, the cable giant whose exclusive contracts have sidelined traditional networks in Winter Olympics coverage. The move has sparked backlash over a "paywall" being placed around events long viewed as a shared national right.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Lee said the government should review how Koreans can watch events that carry broad public interest.

“Institutional improvements are needed to ensure our people have broad access to international events,” he said.

Lee pointed to the recently concluded Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, saying the national mood did not rise as much as in past global competitions despite strong performances by Korean athletes.

“Despite our athletes’ grit and performances, there is regret that social excitement was not sufficiently elevated compared with that of past international competitions,” he said.

He added that the issue should also be examined with the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled for June.

JTBC holds the exclusive Korean broadcast rights for the Olympics from 2026 to 2032 and the World Cups from 2025 to 2030. The network had previously sought to resell the rights to three terrestrial broadcasters, but the negotiations broke down, leaving JTBC to broadcast this year’s Winter Olympics alone.

The arrangement has drawn criticism from civic groups who argue that exclusive coverage can limit viewing access and reduce the shared public experience of global events. Some have urged regulators to treat “universal viewing rights” as an enforceable standard rather than guidance.

Tensions have also surfaced between JTBC and terrestrial broadcasters over Olympic coverage and news access. JTBC has accused its rivals of reducing their coverage since losing their long-standing role in joint Olympic broadcasts. Meanwhile, broadcasters such as MBC claim that restrictions relating to footage and venue access make it difficult to provide comprehensive coverage without the necessary rights.

The dispute comes as broadcasters face rising costs for mega-event rights in a media market increasingly shaped by streaming platforms and online viewing. Industry officials say negotiations over how rights should be shared and costs distributed have grown more complex, especially ahead of tournaments such as the World Cup, which traditionally draws the largest domestic audiences.

At the Cabinet meeting, Lee thanked the national team and support staff for their efforts and asked attendees to give them applause, while reiterating that access to major international events should be addressed as a matter of public concern.