Opposition Party's KCC On-Site Inspection... Only Empty Ballot Papers Secured, "Refusal to Provide Meeting Minutes"

Opposition lawmakers belonging to the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee announced on the 6th that they had secured the ballots used in the plenary meeting held on the 31st of last month for the appointment of public broadcasting directors during an on-site verification at the Government Gwacheon Complex Broadcasting and Communications Commission (BCC).

Democratic Party's Science and ICT Committee Members Conduct On-Site Verification at the Korea Communications Commission
[Image Source=Yonhap News]

Kim Hyun, the Democratic Party's floor leader in the Science and Technology Information Broadcasting and Communications Committee, told reporters after the on-site verification ended that day, "Among all the materials requested from the BCC regarding the public broadcasting director selection process, we only received one ballot."

On that day, Kim and Choi Min-hee, chairperson of the committee, along with 10 Democratic Party lawmakers and Lee Hae-min from the Innovation Party, gathered at the Government Gwacheon Complex from 10 a.m. for an "on-site and document verification of the illegality in the public broadcasting director appointment process."

Kim Tae-gyu, acting chairman of the BCC, arrived at the complex at 2 p.m., maintaining the position that the minutes of the plenary meeting held on the 31st of last month, requested by the opposition, could not be provided due to regulations.

Acting Chairman Kim submitted only the ballots without stamps and said, "We have provided all the materials we can." He explained that other requested materials were personnel-related and could not be disclosed.

The opposition has also approved a plan to hold a "hearing related to broadcasting takeover" on the 9th to investigate the illegality of the public broadcasting director appointment process. The hearing will include witnesses such as Chairman Lee, whose duties were suspended due to the passage of an impeachment motion, and Acting Chairman Kim.

When asked whether they would consider filing complaints or accusations against the BCC for refusing to submit requested materials, Representative Kim replied, "Statements made at the hearing on the 9th may fall under the 'Act on Testimony, Inspection, and Appraisal in the National Assembly (National Assembly Testimony Act),'" adding, "We will review this comprehensively."

Earlier, during a BCC current issues inquiry held at the National Assembly on the 2nd, Secretary-General Jo Sung-eun and others revealed that the plenary meeting held under the "two-person system" of Chairman Lee and Acting Chairman Kim used a "voting method" to recommend directors for KBS and the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation.

Using this method, on the evening of the 31st of last month, the day Chairman Lee took office, 7 out of 52 KBS director candidates and 6 out of 31 Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation director candidates were appointed.