National Assembly Science and ICT Committee to Hold Lee Jin-sook Confirmation Hearing on 24-25
Park Chan-dae, Acting Leader and Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, labeled Lee Jin-sook, the nominee for Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, as a 'broadcasting takeover contractor' and reiterated the urgency of passing the Broadcasting Four Acts (amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation Act, the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act, and the Korea Communications Commission Establishment Act).
Park Chan-dae, Acting Party Leader and Floor Leader, is speaking at an emergency debate on the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's control of the Korea Communications Commission and the regression of democracy, held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 22nd. [Photo by Yonhap News]
On the 22nd, at an emergency forum titled "Yoon Seok-yeol Government's Takeover of the Korea Communications Commission and the Regression of Democracy" held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, Acting Leader Park stated, "The Yoon administration is under the delusion that gagging the broadcasting sector will conceal the government's failures and incompetence," adding, "Since last year, the Korea Communications Commission has been operating under an abnormal two-member structure, consistently engaging in illegal and illicit activities." He continued, "The Yoon administration is trapped in the delusion of reviving reporting directives through broadcasting takeover contractors like Lee Jin-sook, following Lee Dong-gwan and Kim Hong-il."
He further criticized, "Such behavior by the Yoon administration and the Korea Communications Commission is anti-democratic, anti-people, and a historically regressive outrage," pointing out, "If even MBC falls under the control of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, it will not merely be a crisis for public broadcasting but a serious regression of democracy." He also emphasized, "We must stop the Yoon administration's broadcasting takeover and restore the value of public broadcasting," and stated, "The Democratic Party is doing its utmost to impeach the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, push forward the Broadcasting Four Acts, prevent the broadcasting takeover, and normalize the Korea Communications Commission."
Choi Min-hee, Chairperson of the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee, who attended the forum, said, "I think this is the first time to see a Democratic Party leadership, both current and future, with such a strong will to resist broadcasting takeovers," adding, "Members of the Science and Technology Committee will come armed with sharp tools to break through the nominee’s shield during the confirmation hearings scheduled for the 24th and 25th."
The National Assembly Science and Technology Committee will hold confirmation hearings for the nominee on the 24th and 25th. It is expected that the ruling and opposition parties will debate issues including the nominee’s past efforts to privatize MBC, her views on historical issues, and allegations of improper use of corporate credit cards.
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