KBS Seo Gi-seok and 7 Others, Visitjin Heo Ik-beom and 6 Others
Opposition Quota Left Intact
Approval Completed 10 Hours After Appointment
Lee Jin-sook "Followed Law and Procedure"
The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) has approved the proposal for the recommendation and appointment of directors to the Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) major shareholder, the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation (Bangsong Munhwa Jinheunghoe).
On the afternoon of the 31st, the KCC held a plenary meeting at the Government Complex Gwacheon and approved the proposal for the recommendation and appointment of the directors. This was about 10 hours after Chairman Lee Jin-sook and Standing Commissioner Kim Tae-gyu were appointed.
Chairwoman Lee Jin-sook of the Korea Communications Commission and Standing Commissioner Kim Tae-gyu are seated side by side at the inauguration ceremony held at the Broadcasting and Communications Commission in the Government Complex Gwacheon on the morning of the 31st. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The meeting was held behind closed doors from 5 to 7 p.m. with Chairman Lee and Commissioner Kim in attendance. It took about two hours from the end of the meeting to the announcement.
The list of KBS directors includes ▲ Kwon Soon-beom (current director) ▲ Ryu Hyun-soon (former president of the Korea Policy Broadcasting Institute) ▲ Seo Ki-seok (current chairman) ▲ Lee Geon (vice president of Women’s Newspaper) ▲ Lee In-cheol (lawyer) ▲ Heo Yeop (vice chairman of the Video Rating Board) ▲ Hwang Seong-wook (former standing commissioner of the Korea Communications Standards Commission), totaling seven members. KBS directors are recommended by the KCC and finally appointed by the President.
The list of directors of the MBC major shareholder, the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation, includes ▲ Kim Dong-ryul (professor at Sogang University) ▲ Son Jeong-mi (member of the TV Chosun Viewer Committee) ▲ Yoon Gil-yong (special advisor on broadcasting to the Korea Communications Standards Commission) ▲ Lee Woo-yong (mediator of the Press Arbitration Commission) ▲ Lim Moo-young (lawyer) ▲ Heo Ik-beom (lawyer), totaling six members. The KCC directly appointed the directors of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation. Seong Bo-young, CEO of Kumuda SV, was appointed as auditor of the foundation.
On this day, the KCC approved only the directors recommended by the ruling party for both KBS and the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation. The KCC stated, "It was resolved to discuss the remaining directors at a later date."
The KBS directors recommended this time will undergo the presidential appointment process in accordance with Article 46 of the Broadcasting Act, and the six appointed directors and auditor of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation will serve their duties for the next three years.
The opposition party has decided not to apply for this public broadcasting director recruitment. If the opposition does not recommend successors, the terms of the existing directors will be extended. Since both boards can convene meetings with only ruling party-recommended directors and those with extended terms, it is expected that from next month when the terms of the existing directors expire (KBS on the 31st, Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation on the 12th), major agenda items including the replacement of broadcasting company presidents will be possible to decide.
Additionally, at the meeting, the KCC dismissed the recusal requests against Chairman Lee filed by current opposition directors of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation and some applicants. Furthermore, the KCC elected Commissioner Kim as vice chairman. On his way home, Chairman Lee emphasized to reporters, "We acted according to law and procedure."
Meanwhile, the opposition party has announced plans to propose an impeachment motion against Chairman Lee. It is expected to be proposed the next morning, reported in the plenary session, and voted on the 2nd. Previously, former commissioners Lee Dong-gwan and Kim Hong-il voluntarily resigned before the impeachment vote, but Chairman Lee is reported to await the Constitutional Court’s decision after suspension of duties.
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