NEC Hosts Symposium to Evaluate Presidential Debates during the 19th Presidential Elections

= Held July 12 at the Korean Press Center with various experts participating =

The National Election Broadcasting Debate Commission (NEBDC) of the Republic of Korea hosted the Symposium to Evaluate Presidential Debates together with the Korean Press Association at the Korea Press Center on Wednesday at 3pm, July 12. 

The 19th presidential election candidate debate was the first time that a timed and standing system had been adopted and many noted that voters had played a major role in verifying and judging the candidates'' policies and commitments. However, some put forward the opinion that it is necessary to improve the system, including reducing the number of candidates and ensuring the questions are tailored to all the candidates.

The NEBDC said that the symposium is expected to be an opportunity to analyze and evaluate candidate debates in depth and explore ways to develop election broadcasting debates for a mature electoral culture.

Meanwhile, the symposium will be divided into two sessions: the operation and improvement of the 19th presidential election candidate debates, and an analysis on the effect of the debate.

In the first session, Professor Lee Sang-cheol from Sungkyunkwan University presented ''The Operation of Presidential Debates for the 19th Presidential Election and Plans for Improvement.'' Fellow panelists for this session were Professor Yoo Kyung Han of the Minerva College at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Professor Lee Young-eum from the Media and Video Studies Department at the Korean National Open University, Park Yong-chan Director of the Editorial Committee at MBC and Commissioner Oh Mi-yeong and Secrertary General Lee Joo-hyeon from NEBDC. 

In the second session, Professor Lee Soo-yeong from the Department of International Relations at Daegu University presented an ''Analysis of the Effects of the 19th Presidential Election Candidates’ Debate.'' In addition, Professor Kim Sin-dong from the Faculty of Journalism at Hallym University, Professor Cho Hwa-soon from the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Yonsei University, Bae Jong Chan, General Manager at Research & Research, and Commissioner Heo Ik-beom and Director of the Debates Division Choi Heong-don from the NEBDC participated as panelists.​