Park Min, New KBS President: "The Cause of the Crisis is Internal... Organizational Consolidation at the Level of Re-creation"

High-Intensity Reform Announced at Inauguration Ceremony on the 13th

Park Min, the newly appointed president of KBS, stated, "Over the past decade, the media market has undergone disruptive changes, but KBS has not adequately prepared," and urged for a strong reform, saying, "We must not hesitate to carry out organizational consolidation and personnel reallocation at a level of reinvention."

At the inauguration ceremony held at 10 a.m. on the 13th at KBS headquarters in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, President Park said, "While major domestic terrestrial broadcasters have innovated their production systems and sought change, KBS was preoccupied with protecting vested interests."

[Photo by KBS]

President Park emphasized internal reform. Mentioning crises such as the separate collection of TV license fees, the reauthorization of 2TV, and budget cuts, he pointed out, "The cause of KBS's crisis lies not externally but internally."

He continued, "KBS has been criticized for losing its identity as a public broadcaster, and there are also remarks that it prioritizes partisanship and cronyism over fairness, public interest, and the values of public broadcasting," adding, "If self-innovation precedes, public trust in KBS will be restored, and if the public empathizes with the necessity of KBS, the financial crisis can be overcome."

Furthermore, he stated, "To turn a crisis into an opportunity, cold self-reflection, realistic awareness, painful innovation, and sacrifice are necessary," and elaborated, "Those who think of public broadcasting as a place to realize personal or group ideologies or convictions will have no place going forward."

President Park joined Munhwa Ilbo in 1992 and has served as head of the social affairs department, political affairs department, and editor-in-chief. He has also held positions such as president of the Legal Press Club and secretary-general of the Kwanhun Club. Park's term will last until December 9 of next year, completing the remaining term of former president Kim Ui-cheol.

The National Union of Mediaworkers of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a press conference on the same day, voicing opposition to President Park's appointment. The media union criticized the abolition of the current affairs program "The Live," saying, "On Park's first day at work, he shattered the programming regulations and production autonomy in one stroke."

They also claimed, "In the large-scale personnel reshuffle following Park's appointment approval, members belonging to the KBS branch of the media union were reduced to the extent that the term 'expulsion' is appropriate," and "In their place, many figures affiliated with organizations that have led efforts to support the current administration were appointed."

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