The presidential office says the issue of whether or not the head of the Korean Broadcasting System(KBS) steps down is irrelevant to the government’s plan to separate the collection of television license fees from household electricity bills.

A senior official of the top office said in a briefing on Thursday that what the Korean people want from KBS is such a payment separation, adding that it’s not certain that what the people are demanding is the resignation of the KBS chief.

The official’s remarks came hours after KBS President and CEO Kim Eui-cheol said in a news conference that he will step down if the Yoon Suk Yeol administration withdraws its planned separate collection of TV license fees.

The official added that the government will continue to push for the separation because that is what the people want, regardless of whether there is a reshuffle in the KBS management. 

The Yoon administration is seeking to discontinue the collection of KBS's current license fees by the Korea Electric Power Corporation, or KEPCO, working as a surrogate.

Combining TV license fees and electricity charges into one outstanding balance has allowed for stable financial operation of the public broadcaster since 1994.