Public Contest Procedures to Be Implemented by the 11th of Next Month

Chairman Kim Hong-il of the Korea Communications Commission (left) [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 28th, the Korea Communications Commission held a plenary meeting at the Government Gwacheon Complex and approved the appointment plans for the executives of the three public broadcasters, including the board members of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation, the major shareholder of MBC.

The meeting was attended by Chairman Kim Hong-il and Vice Chairman Lee Sang-in, and the resolution was passed without objection. Prior to the meeting, MBC filed a disqualification request against Vice Chairman Lee, but it was dismissed.

According to the approved appointment plan, the recruitment process for nine board members and one auditor of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation, whose terms expire on August 12, will take place from today until September 11.

Applications will also be accepted during the same period for the eleven KBS board members whose terms are set to expire on August 31.

For the nine EBS board members, whose terms expire on September 14, applications will be accepted from September 12 to 25. Candidates cannot apply to multiple broadcasters simultaneously. After applications, candidates will be selected through consultations among the standing commissioners of the Korea Communications Commission.

KBS board members are appointed by the President upon recommendation by the Korea Communications Commission, while the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation’s board members and auditors, as well as EBS board members, can be directly appointed by the Korea Communications Commission.

Chairman Kim Hong-il stated, "Although a revised bill related to the election of public broadcasting board members has been proposed and is under discussion in the National Assembly, I believe it is the Korea Communications Commission’s natural duty as a law enforcement agency to proceed with the recommendation and appointment procedures for public broadcasting board members according to the current law."

He added, "The terms of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation’s board members and auditor, whose terms expire first on August 12, will end soon. Considering that the appointment process takes approximately four to five weeks at minimum, we cannot delay the appointment process any further, and thus, we had no choice but to handle the appointment plan today."