Candidate Lee Jin-suk's misuse of company credit card worth tens of millions 'fraud'... "Will not resign" (Comprehensive)

Nominee for Broadcasting Commission Chairperson Hearing on the 24th
"Labor unions practically control important decisions"
"MBC privatization is realistically difficult"

At the confirmation hearing for Lee Jin-sook, nominee for Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, suspicions surrounding the use of corporate credit cards during her tenure at MBC were a major focus.

Candidate Lee Jin-sook, nominee for the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, is attending the confirmation hearing held on the 24th at the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, amid protests from members of press organizations. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the 24th, the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee held a confirmation hearing for nominee Lee. The opposition parties conducted rigorous scrutiny regarding her qualifications, suitability, political orientation, and views on history.

Hwang Jeong-ah, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, claimed, "The nominee used corporate credit cards 342 times on Saturdays and Sundays from 2009 to 2018, amounting to 85 million won."

Lee responded, "You mention weekend golf, but if I played golf on weekdays, what would you say then? I was simply conducting normal business activities. In a regular company, this would be laughable."

Hwang also alleged that Lee used 50 million won on 152 occasions at a five-star hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, and 75 million won at a high-end restaurant in the 63 Building. However, Lee maintained that she never used the corporate credit card for personal purposes.

Lee Jeong-heon, a Democratic Party lawmaker, stated, "We checked how much the nominee used within a 500-meter radius of her apartment in Daechi-dong and found a total of 41 uses amounting to about 4 million won."

Additionally, Lee claimed, "In 2017, the nominee made several small payments totaling 12,000 won at a barley rice restaurant. The corporate card usage policy requires that personal expenses must be paid with a personal credit card."

In response, the nominee said, "I have never used the card for anything other than business purposes. I have never spent even 10,000 won personally."

Candidate Lee Jin-sook, nominee for Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, is taking the oath at the confirmation hearing held on the 24th at the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Regarding the nominee's 'like' on a post claiming that the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement was an incident incited by rioters, she said, "I clicked 'like' without thinking," and referred to such criticism as a "'like' guilt by association."

Lee stated, "I will not answer questions about the Sewol ferry or Cheonan sinking conspiracy theories." She also said, "Many posts I made on social media were written as a party member or private individual. If I enter public office, I will maintain strict neutrality." When urged to resign over past remarks, she replied, "I will not resign."

The nominee criticized the current situation at MBC, saying, "The labor union has effectively come to control important decisions." She emphasized that as the Korean Federation of Mediaworkers' Unions has become a dominant force within MBC and politicized it, "It is inappropriate for a public broadcaster that should maintain political neutrality to be under the umbrella of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions."

In response to a question from Lee Sang-hwi of the People Power Party about whether she has concerns regarding MBC's privatization system, she began, "In 2012, I discussed share sales with Choi Pil-lip, chairman of the Jeongsu Scholarship Foundation."

She continued, "Regardless of my personal views, the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Act needs to be amended. There is strong demand for privatization, but with the current opposition holding 192 seats, privatization will not be easy."

Jeong Dong-young, a Democratic Party lawmaker and former MBC anchor, harshly criticized, saying, "This situation is very uncomfortable. The name Lee Jin-sook is rising to the top among the shameful figures in MBC's history."