"Public Broadcasters Should Not Take Sides" Anchor Hwang Sang-mu Leaves KBS

"I No Longer Have a Place to Stay at KBS" Declaration of Resignation

Hwang Sang-mu KBS Anchor / Photo by KBS Broadcasting Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Hwang Sang-moo (56), the anchor who hosted 'KBS News 9,' submitted his resignation to KBS on the 9th.

In a post on KBS's internal internet bulletin board that day, Anchor Hwang stated, "There is no longer a place for me to stay at KBS. Therefore, I intend to leave."

He recalled, "I remember the morning news I hosted on May 3, 2005, swallowing tears of blood. It was just a few hours after I had left the morgue where my young child was," adding, "I devoted my utmost effort to KBS, but now I am going to give up my reliance on KBS."

He continued, "Our society has become a world where every day begins and ends with curses, insults, and abusive language," and pointed out, "It is literally a society where all kinds of words run rampant. Unfortunately, KBS is at the center of it. It is a situation brought on by itself."

He further emphasized, "A company operated by the public license fee turning to one side means turning the other half of the people into enemies," and said, "KBS must not join extreme hostile politics. Forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and unity are precious values that KBS must never give up."

Anchor Hwang said, "We must put aside ridicule, contempt, humiliation, and sarcasm, and regain consideration, respect, manners, decency, and polite speech," adding, "That is the reason for KBS's existence, which is operated by the license fee. It is the only way for KBS to regain the love and trust of the people."

After joining KBS in 1991, Hwang worked as a reporter in the social, political, and unification departments, and from 2002 to 2007, he served as the host of 'KBS News Plaza.' He worked as a KBS correspondent in New York and then served as the anchor of 'News 9' from January 2015. After being replaced following Yang Seung-dong's appointment as KBS president in April 2018, he is currently part of the radio news team.

While working as the 'News 9' anchor in 2016, Hwang participated in the 'KBS Journalists Association Normalization Meeting' and issued a critical statement against the KBS Journalists Association. At that time, he claimed, "The KBS Journalists Association is excessively politically biased," and added, "It should reflect on the criticism that it is a second squad of a specific union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions."

In July, he also urged President Yang to issue a public apology and conduct a fact-finding investigation through the 'KBS Staff Solidarity Signature Campaign for the Truth Behind the KBS News 9 False Report on Collusion Between Media and Prosecutors.'

In February 2018, some reporters belonging to the KBS Headquarters of the National Union of Mediaworkers (New Union) criticized him with the intention of "stepping down from the anchor position."

At that time, some reporters from the New Union labeled Anchor Hwang as a "symbol of old customs and deep-rooted evils," and urged, "If (Anchor Hwang) wants to be respected for even a part of his nearly 30 years as a journalist, he should immediately step down from the anchor position."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.