Top MBC executives tender their resignations

Ohm Ki-young

MBC President Ohm Ki-young and seven other executives of the nation’s second-largest broadcaster have offered to resign amid continuing criticism by the firm’s main shareholder over their “poor management oversight.”

The Foundation for Broadcast Culture, which holds a 70 percent stake of the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, said yesterday that the top MBC executives submitted their resignations on Monday morning to seek a confidence vote.

The foundation said a board meeting will take place today to decide their fate.

Sources said the executives tendered their resignations following the Foundation for Broadcast Culture’s finding that the broadcaster’s reform plan has not produced tangible results.

Ohm, who was named the 28th president of MBC in March last year, was the longest serving news anchor of the TV network. Ohm’s tenure was scheduled to end in February 2011.

During a foundation board meeting on Nov. 30 Kim U-ryong, the foundation chairman, reminded Ohm that he had pledged to take responsibility if no tangible results were seen in MBC’s reform and the time had come for Ohm to think about his future, sources have said.

Kim also said Ohm’s “New MBC Innovation Plan,” proposed in September, was reviewed by the board. “While President Ohm has tried hard, there has been little progress,” Kim was quoted as saying.

The reform plan was proposed by Ohm after the broadcaster was fiercely criticized for unfairness and inaccuracy earlier this year. The foundation and the Grand National Party at the time pressured Ohm to step down, calling MBC’s “PD Diary” episode about U.S. beef imports a reason for the nation’s social strife.

Ohm was also criticized for the MBC labor union’s strike that had disrupted the broadcaster’s operations earlier this year.

At the time, Ohm said he agreed with the foundation’s criticism that MBC programs have failed to maintain fairness and that the broadcaster was poorly managed. Instead of stepping down, he had proposed the reform plan.

The Blue House yesterday refused to comment on the sensitive issue to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. “I have nothing to say,” Blue House spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye said. Another senior official also said, “It is something that the Blue House has nothing to do with.”

Opposition parties yesterday criticized the Lee Myung-bak administration for “attempting to control the broadcaster.” Urging the foundation to reject the resignations, Democratic Party lawmakers said the party will form an alliance with liberal forces to fight for MBC’s independence.

“Ever since Kim assumed the chairmanship of the foundation, he has inappropriately intervened in MBC’s management,” said Woo Wi-young, spokesman for the Democratic Labor Party. “The resignations were offered under threat.”

While the fate of MBC executives will be decided this afternoon, some inside the broadcaster predicted that Ohm will likely keep his job.

By Ser Myo-ja, Chung Kang-hyun [myoja@joongang.co.kr]