Hong Ik-pyo "Kim Hong-il's nomination should be withdrawn... Yoon's declaration of war on media control"

Democratic Party Floor Leader Directly Criticizes Broadcasting Commission Chair Nominee
"Serving as a Tool for Broadcasting Control... Yoon, Urged to Withdraw Nomination"

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol's nomination of Kim Hong-il as the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, calling it "the president's declaration of war to control the broadcasting by manipulating the commission as if conducting a prosecution investigation," and urged the withdrawal of the nomination.

At a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 7th, Hong said, "(Nominee Kim Hong-il) was President Yoon's direct superior during his prosecutor days and someone well acquainted with him, a special prosecutor, but he is a former prosecutor with no experience related to broadcasting or communications," and directly stated, "The public cannot accept what he can do for the Korea Communications Commission’s status, which was ruined under the Lee Dong-gwan system, and the future of the media industry."

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

He pointed out, "Nominee Kim Hong-il was a tool for the regime's broadcasting control," and added, "During his five-month term as chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, Kim Hong-il only played the role of packaging the directors of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation appointed by the government as problematic and handing them over to investigative agencies." He continued, "When complaints were filed to the Anti-Corruption Commission, he conducted unusually swift investigations, briefed as if there were issues, and transferred the matters to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office."

Hong emphasized, "Nominating such a person is the president's declaration of war to manipulate the Korea Communications Commission," and criticized, "Nominee Kim Hong-il is unfit to lead the commission." He added, "Especially since he is responsible for granting immunity related to former President MB (Lee Myung-bak), it is even more inappropriate," and strongly urged, "I strongly call for the withdrawal of the nomination before it is too late and for the appointment of a new figure who meets the public’s expectations."