National Assembly Science and ICT Committee, Confirmation Hearings on 24-25
Issues Raised Including Corporate Card Misuse and Union Suppression
Candidate Lee: "Malicious Framing"
The National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee will conduct a rigorous examination of candidate Lee Jin-sook for the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission over two days, on the 24th and 25th.
Candidate Lee Jin-sook for the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission is expressing her stance on her nomination as she arrives at the confirmation hearing office set up near the Government Complex Gwacheon in Gyeonggi on the 8th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
On the 24th at 10 a.m., the committee plans to hold a confirmation hearing for candidate Park to comprehensively review her qualifications, suitability, political orientation, historical perspective, and job performance capabilities.
The Democratic Party and the Innovation Party are expected to focus on probing various allegations related to candidate Lee's past actions, including controversies over intentions to control the media.
Candidate Lee is suspected of pushing for the privatization of MBC and illegally surveilling labor unions during her tenure at MBC.
Additionally, during her time as president of Daejeon MBC, allegations have been raised that she used a company car to access golf courses and misused corporate credit cards for personal purposes.
When applying for the president position, there were claims that she submitted a "union suppression plan," which candidate Lee has rebutted as a "malicious framing."
Verification is also expected regarding past statements revealing far-right tendencies, such as disparaging the May 18 Democratic Uprising, and reports that she posted politically biased content on social networking services (SNS).
She is also likely to be held accountable for the false report of "all rescued" during the Sewol ferry disaster while serving as the head of MBC's news department at the time.
Meanwhile, the opposition plans to summon witnesses and reference persons to determine the truthfulness of candidate Lee's past actions and various allegations.
A Democratic Party official said, "Candidate Lee has been uncooperative in submitting materials citing personal information protection," adding, "We are examining whether the National Assembly Act on Testimony, Inspection, and Expertise (the law concerning testimony and inspection in the National Assembly) can be applied."
Reform Party lawmaker Lee Jun-seok intends to focus on whether the candidate possesses the capability to perform the duties of the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission rather than on personal misconduct.
The lawmaker plans to confirm the candidate's stance and measures on key issues of the Korea Communications Commission, including broadcast advertising regulation, ensuring public broadcasting, development plans for regional broadcasting, and the influence of online video services (OTT).
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