Lee Dong-gwan Chooses Resignation Over Impeachment... Broadcasting Commission Operations Inevitably Paralyzed (Comprehensive)

Lee Dong-gwan Chairman's Official Resignation Press Conference on the 1st
"Not a Political Trick... Loyalty for the Nation"
Challenges Pile Up... Broadcasting Commission "Reviewing Possibility of Agenda Deliberation"

The resignation of Chairman Lee Dong-gwan inevitably creates a temporary work vacuum at the Korea Communications Commission (KCC). With the KCC's standing commissioners, previously operated under a two-person system of Lee Dong-gwan and Lee Sang-in, now reduced to a single person, it is uncertain whether major agenda items can be approved.

Lee Dong-gwan

On the 1st, after President Yoon Seok-yeol accepted his resignation, Chairman Lee held a press conference at the Government Complex Gwacheon to officially announce his resignation.

Chairman Lee stated, "As of today, I resign from my position as Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission," adding, "This is neither due to pressure from the ruling party nor a political trick as claimed by the opposition." He further emphasized, "It is solely out of loyalty to the nation and the appointing authority, the President."

On the same day, a vote on the impeachment motion against Chairman Lee was scheduled in the National Assembly plenary session. If the impeachment motion is passed, it is expected to take at least six months or more until the Constitutional Court issues a ruling.

He explained, "If the impeachment proceeds, it is uncertain how many months it will take for the judgment to be made," adding, "During that time, the KCC would effectively be in a dormant state, and the National Assembly would be paralyzed amid partisan conflicts. It is the duty of a public official to avoid such a situation even if it means sacrificing myself."

Chairman Lee declared, "Wherever I am, I will do my part for South Korea’s leap as a global media powerhouse and the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration," and added, "The train of media normalization will continue to run."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Hong Ik-pyo, floor leader, along with other lawmakers, are holding placards reading "Activate the Legislation and Judiciary Committee Immediately, Stop Shielding Lee Dong-gwan" and shouting slogans at a party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 30th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Although Chairman Lee’s voluntary resignation prevented a prolonged suspension of the KCC’s functions and an all-out confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties, the work vacuum at the KCC is expected to be unavoidable for the time being due to his resignation.

Originally, the KCC should be composed of five standing commissioners, including the chairman and vice chairman. Under the current two-person system, which was the cause of the impeachment, Vice Chairman Lee Sang-in will act as the chairman, resulting in a single-person system.

According to the KCC-related laws, "The committee meeting shall be convened by the chairman upon the request of two or more commissioners." However, the chairman may convene meetings alone. Additionally, committee decisions require the approval of the majority of the commissioners present.

The KCC stated, "Whether a one-person system can hold committee meetings to deliberate on agenda items in a collegial institution requires more thorough review."

The KCC faces numerous pending tasks. These include the approval process for the change of major shareholders of news-specialized channels Yonhap News TV and YTN, as well as the reauthorization agenda for broadcasters whose licenses expire at the end of the year. Without committee approval, reauthorization cannot be decided.

Efforts led by Chairman Lee, such as measures against fake news, a fact-finding investigation into the fairness of Naver’s news service, and penalty impositions for Google and Apple’s forced in-app payment policies, have also lost momentum.

For the KCC to return to normal operations, a chairman candidate must be nominated and go through the confirmation hearing process. Only after the confirmation hearing is completed can the KCC be normalized.