Minju "Lee Dong-gwan Broadcast Suppression Committee Chair"... Preview of Detailed Verification at Confirmation Hearing

Lee Jae-myung "Yoon Administration, Red Guard Gathering Place"
Calls for Withdrawal of Nominee Lee Dong-gwan... "Public Apology"
"Prepare Well for Hearing"... Personnel Verification Instead of Boycott

The Democratic Party of Korea on the 31st labeled nominee Lee Dong-gwan for the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission as the 'Chairperson of Broadcasting Suppression' and urged President Yoon Suk-yeol to withdraw the nomination and issue a public apology. They also decided to thoroughly scrutinize the nominee during next month's confirmation hearing.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, said at the party's Supreme Council meeting in the National Assembly, "President Yoon Suk-yeol has ultimately nominated Lee Dong-gwan, the original architect of broadcasting control, as the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission," and criticized, "So far, the administration's personnel appointments have been failing grades, and adding a chairperson of broadcasting control will make it difficult for the Yoon administration to escape the stigma of being a gathering place for Red Guards."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a Supreme Council meeting at the party office in the National Assembly on the 31st.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Lee stated, "Personnel appointments must no longer become disasters," and urged, "President Yoon should withdraw the nomination of Lee Dong-gwan, which is like the finishing touch on this personnel catastrophe, and apologize to the people."

He emphasized, "Being intoxicated with power temporarily entrusted by the people and opposing them is like 'dangling a mantis in front of a chariot' (a mantis trying to stop a chariot)," and added, "I hope the administration seriously heeds the public's warning that normal governance is impossible under these circumstances."

Park Kwang-on, the Democratic Party floor leader, also pointed out at the meeting, "80% of active journalists oppose the appointment of nominee Lee Dong-gwan," explaining, "The reason is that he was a leading figure in media suppression during the Lee Myung-bak (MB) administration, so he is perceived not as the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission but as the Chairperson of Control or Broadcasting Suppression."

Park said, "If the media is viewed as a business, essential values such as freedom and independence of the press will be compromised," and added, "The Democratic Party will never tolerate any attempt that violates the constitutional spirit of realizing press freedom and the public's right to know."

Supreme Council member Park Chan-dae urged, "President Yoon's nomination of this candidate is a declaration of war to turn the Korea Communications Commission into a broadcasting control commission," and stated, "The nominee is evaluated by active journalists as the worst anti-constitutional and immoral figure. Withdraw immediately."

The Democratic Party had previously been expected to possibly boycott the confirmation hearing for the nominee, but they announced they will participate as scheduled. Kwon Chil-seung, the party's chief spokesperson, said at a National Assembly briefing regarding the boycott question, "There has been no discussion at all," and added, "Even if we held confirmation hearings all year long, it would not be enough. Rather, we intend to prepare better for the hearing to expose the problems."

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