[EDITORIALS]Not right man for the job

Jung Yun-joo, the president of the Korean Broadcasting System, applied to become the next KBS president when he handed in his resignation letter. A president of the broadcasting company is allowed to be reelected according to broadcasting law, and every citizen has the right to choose their job. However, Mr. Jung’s act is brazen.
Ironically, the letter he sent to staffers at the company when resigning reveals the reasons why he should not be reelected. He wrote, “A big tide is coming in the broadcasting field,” and, “We should focus on establishing the raison d’etre of the public broadcasting system and on broadening its public value.” That is right. The public broadcasting system cannot survive unless it transforms itself amid new technology and change in the media industry.
At this important time, Mr. Jung is not the right person for the job. That becomes clear when thinking about the “raison d’etre of public broadcasting.” Everyone knows how he became the president and how the Korean Broadcasting System has been doing so far. It gave up its duty as a public station when broadcasting news about the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun. Mr. Jung is not the right person to talk about public broadcasting. He also lacks management skill and ethical values. While he was in office, the efficiency of the Korean Broadcasting System was last among the three major stations, according to assessments by the Korean Broadcasting Commission. In 2004, the company saw a deficit of 63.8 billion ($67 million). Last year, when a deficit of 80 billion won was likely to occur, management decided to cut pay for executives by 20 percent. In January, the executives then received the difference that they did not receive last year. This shows the lack of ethical values.
He lacks dominance over the organization as well. With the unionized workers included, 82 percent of workers are opposed to him being reelected. He tried to be reemployed for the job probably because the government hinted something to him. This administration must desperately need someone who shares the same ideology, like Mr. Jung, in order to win next year’s presidential election.
But now the public broadcasting company should be returned to the people, leaving those who have power. To do so, a politically neutral person who is an expert on broadcasting needs to become the president of the Korean Broadcasting System. We hope that Mr. Jung withdraws from his plot.
That is the right thing to do for the company and himself.