Stalemate in Committee Formation Negotiations Due to Science and ICT Committee Issue... Ruling Party Says "Opposition Behind Defending Science and ICT Committee Is Minnochoong"

Park Sung-joong "Minju Labor Union Media Union Acts as Democratic Party's Second Faction"
Democratic Party "Cannot Overlook Attempts to Control Media After Seizing Police and Prosecution"

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Kwon Hyun-ji] The ruling and opposition parties, who set the deadline for the organization of the National Assembly on the 21st, have still failed to narrow their sharp differences over which side will take the chairmanship of the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee. The People Power Party launched an offensive by revealing the scale of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) within broadcasting companies. The Democratic Party also maintained its stance to prevent broadcasting control by mentioning a series of broadcasting-related issues.

Kwon Seong-dong, Acting Leader of the People Power Party, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 19th, the People Power Party claimed that the reason the Democratic Party insists on "defending the Science and Technology Committee" is because of the media union affiliated with the KCTU. Park Sung-joong, the People Power Party's Science and Technology Committee secretary, said at the party's floor strategy meeting, "Currently, the KCTU media union is allied with the Democratic Party and is putting all its efforts into taking control of the National Assembly's Science and Technology Committee," adding, "We can no longer overlook their intention to endlessly extend their existence by controlling politics. We strongly warn the KCTU media union that is holding broadcasting hostage to intimidate the political world."

He revealed, "It is a well-known fact that the KCTU media union, which has taken control of public broadcasting, acts as the Democratic Party's second squad," and added, "The KCTU media union has 15,000 members, among whom 2,500 are KBS employees, 1,000 are MBC employees, and over 400 are YTN employees, accounting for a quarter of the total members and half of the finances." He further claimed, "We have checked all major executive positions in broadcasting companies and found that 100% of the executives are from the KCTU media union."

On the other hand, the Democratic Party opposed, accusing the government and ruling party of blatant attempts to control broadcasting. Park Hong-geun, the Democratic Party floor leader, said, "Yesterday, the Presidential Office refused to receive work reports from the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission and the Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. In addition to blatant pressure to resign, they even refused the work reports," adding, "I see this as an extension of broadcasting control." Park said, "Not only controlling the prosecution and police, but also attempts to control the media and broadcasting cannot be tolerated. The Democratic Party will complete the organization negotiations to check the arrogance and unilateral actions of the ruling party and government and to protect media independence."

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Lee Soo-jin, the Democratic Party floor spokesperson, said after the meeting, "People Power Party floor leader Kwon Seong-dong said he is not interested in broadcasting control and wants to take charge of the Science and Technology Committee because support is needed for science, technology, policy, and future tasks. Although Speaker Kim Jin-pyo suggested separating science and technology from broadcasting and communications, it was not accepted," adding, "The conclusion is that they are interested in broadcasting control." The People Power Party's intention in demanding the Science and Technology Committee is broadcasting control.

The floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties continued confidential organization negotiations under the mediation of Speaker Kim on the same day.

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