Yesterday (31st), the opposition party submitted an impeachment motion against Lee Jin-suk, who was inaugurated as the Chairman of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission. It is expected to be processed at the plenary session tomorrow. Lee Jin-suk, the Chairman, is reported to be waiting for the decision of the Constitutional Court without resigning.
Reporter Ahn Hee-jae covered the story.
The impeachment motion against Lee Jin-suk, the Chairman of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission proposed by six opposition parties, has been reported to the National Assembly plenary session.
The grounds for the motion include allegations that decisions made on the first day of appointment, such as appointing public broadcasting directors through a ‘2-person system’ and participating in the rejection of the request for disqualification, were illegal.
[Park Chan-dae/Democratic Party Floor Leader: (The actions of Chairman Lee Jin-suk) are clearly illegal, blatant attempts to control broadcasting, and a trampling on democracy. We will not stand idly by.]
This is the fourth attempt to impeach the Chairman of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission, following Im Dong-gwan, Kim Hong-il, and Lee Sang-in. The ruling party has reacted by calling it ‘impeachment addiction’ and ‘state terror.’
[Han Dong-hoon/Leader of the ruling party: Is it possible to engage in such bad deeds that warrant impeachment after just one day in office? I would like to comment on ‘impeachment without guilt.’]
The opposition party plans to pass the impeachment bill after ending the ruling party’s filibuster against the ‘25,000 won support for all citizens’ bill tomorrow afternoon.
While former Chairmen of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission resigned before the parliamentary vote, this Chairman is said to be waiting for the Constitutional Court’s decision.
A senior official at the presidential office said that it is inevitable for the Broadcasting and Communications Commission to be in a vegetative state for a few months, but the cycle of impeachment and voluntary resignation needs to be broken.
It is interpreted that the Chairman’s decision was made based on the high likelihood of rejection by the Constitutional Court after handling major issues.
The newly appointed Chairman, who received her appointment letter today, has only stated her position of “waiting to see” in response to the opposition’s impeachment proposal.
The Democratic Party is expected to continue tense negotiations surrounding the Broadcasting and Communications Commission, including raising the card of ‘investigating state control of broadcasting.’
(Video coverage: Jeon Gyeong-bae, Seol Min-hwan; Video editing: Nam Il)