Opposition, Lee Dong-kwan's 'Communist Party Organ' Remark "Declaration of War on Media... Absolutely Unacceptable"

Park Kwang-on "Media Control Behavior from the First Day as a Candidate"
Jung Cheong-rae "Communist Party Media Remarks Are Anachronistic"

The Democratic Party of Korea launched an all-out offensive on the 2nd against Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairman nominee Lee Dong-gwan's remark referring to the media as a "Communist Party organ." They called it a "declaration of war against the press."

Park Kwang-on, the Democratic Party floor leader, said at the Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly that day, "The expression 'Communist Party' is inappropriate," and pointed out, "It sounded like a declaration of war against the press, aiming to label and control media critical of the government ideologically."

Earlier, on his way to the personnel hearing preparation office the previous day, Lee met with reporters and said, "The media cannot and should not be controlled," but added, "The reason we do not call the newspapers and broadcasts of the Communist Party, which were very skillful at propaganda and agitation in the past, 'media' is because they do not convey facts and truth but rather transmit claims."

In response, Floor Leader Park said, "Many citizens say that the behavior of expelling broadcasters critical of the administration, mobilizing intelligence agencies to spy on public broadcasting personnel, and intervening in personnel affairs to control the media is like that of the Communist Party," and emphasized, "The people and the National Assembly will never tolerate a 'Broadcasting Control Chairman.'"

Park Kwang-on, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a Supreme Council meeting at the party office in the National Assembly on the 2nd.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Jeong Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, said, "What era is this to make such an anachronistic remark likening the media to the Communist Party's media?" and asked, "Is nominee Lee Dong-gwan declaring that he will ignite a McCarthyism frenzy wearing the armband of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission chairman?"

Supreme Council member Seo Eun-sook criticized, "President Yoon Seok-yeol is trying to appoint his special advisor to the position of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission chairman, who should manage broadcasting and media neutrally," and added, "Nominee Lee Dong-gwan was a media suppression technician during the Lee Myung-bak administration, yet the appointment is being pushed through."

Democratic Party spokesperson Park Sung-jun told reporters after the meeting, "The Supreme Council members interpreted that nominee Lee openly revealed his intention to suppress critical reporting in the future by disparaging some media as Communist Party organs."

Spokesperson Park said, "The Broadcasting and Communications Commission is expected to conduct an official investigation into the major shareholder of MBC, the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation (Bangmunjin), this week. Pressure on MBC’s Bangmunjin following KBS is part of a media control process leading to the takeover of public broadcasting," and added, "If nominee Lee Dong-gwan is appointed, it is obvious what will happen."

He continued, "The Democratic Party must thoroughly prepare for the personnel hearing of this nominee," emphasizing, "There are calls for the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee to thoroughly investigate broadcasting control, media suppression, the nominee’s son’s school violence issues, and controversies over his spouse’s personnel requests."

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