The court has suspended the effect of the Korea Communications Commission's appointment of six new directors to the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation (MBC's major shareholder) until the 26th.
The Seoul Administrative Court's Administrative Division 12 (Presiding Judge Kang Jae-won) decided on the 8th to suspend the effect of the appointment of new directors requested by Kwon Tae-seon, chairman of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation, and directors Kim Ki-jung and Park Seon-ah against the Korea Communications Commission until the 26th.
The court stated, "It is necessary to temporarily suspend the effect to prevent unnecessary disputes between the applicants, including the directors of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation whose terms are about to expire, and those appointed as their successors during the period required for the trial and final decision of this case."
Earlier, on the 31st of last month, about 10 hours after the appointment of Chairman Lee Jin-sook and Commissioner Kim Tae-gyu, the Korea Communications Commission appointed six new directors to the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation: Professor Kim Dong-ryul of Sogang University, Son Jeong-mi, a member of the TV Chosun Viewer Committee, Yoon Gil-yong, a special advisor on broadcasting at the Korea Communications Standards Commission, Lee Woo-yong, a mediator at the Press Arbitration Commission, lawyer Lim Mu-young, and lawyer Heo Ik-beom.
In response, Chairman Kwon and other opposition-leaning directors filed a cancellation lawsuit and requested a suspension of execution, arguing that the two-person Korea Communications Commission's appointment of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation directors was illegal.
The hearing for this case was originally scheduled for the 9th but was postponed to the 19th following a request for rescheduling by the respondent, the Korea Communications Commission. It is expected that the final decision on whether to suspend execution will be made before the 26th after the hearing.
Separately, former MBC Plus CEO Cho Neung-hee, former Arirang International Broadcasting Head of Broadcasting Song Yo-hoon, and former Jeonju MBC CEO Song Ki-won, who applied for the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation director positions but were not appointed, also filed cancellation lawsuits against the Korea Communications Commission and requested suspension of execution. The hearing for this case was also scheduled for the 9th but postponed to the 19th.
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