Yoon taps special adviser as Korea Communications Commission chief

Politics

Published: 28 Jul. 2023, 11:31 Updated: 28 Jul. 2023, 17:36

Yoon taps special adviser as Korea Communications Commission chief

Lee Dong-kwan, the nominee for chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, speaks to reporters at the Yongsan presidential office on Friday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol named Lee Dong-kwan, his special adviser for external relations, as the new chief of the state broadcasting watchdog, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), the presidential office announced Friday.

In May, Yoon dismissed Han Sang-hyuk, the former chairman of the KCC appointed under the previous administration, who was indicted on charges of involvement in the alleged manipulation of scores of conservative cable channel TV Chosun in the process of renewing its broadcasting license in 2020.

Prosecutors alleged that TV Chosun's renewal process was tampered with during the review process to give the cable network a low score, accusing Han of obstruction of justice and forging of documents.

Lee, a former Dong-A Ilbo reporter, served as a former Blue House spokesperson and senior presidential secretary for press affairs under the Lee Myung-bak administration.

He received a bachelor's degree in political science at Seoul National University.

"Based on his rich experience in the media field and various human relations, networking and leadership skills, he is expected to be the right person to carry out the broadcasting and telecommunications tasks of the Yoon administration," said Kim Dae-ki, presidential chief of staff, in a press briefing Friday.

Lee told reporters at the Yongsan presidential office that if he is appointed, he will "focus first on efforts first to restore a fair media ecosystem and create a free and communicative information distribution environment."

He promised to do his best "to help Korea leap forward as a global media industry powerhouse through bold regulatory innovation and policy support."

He called for Korea to have a public broadcaster that is "internationally trusted and recognized," like Britain's BBC or Japan's NHK.

The liberal Democratic Party has opposed Lee's nomination over allegations of his interfering in personnel affairs at national broadcaster KBS during his time as a presidential senior presidential secretary.

More recently, he came under fire over allegations that his son had bullied a classmate in high school in 2011. Lee has refuted the allegations, saying that his son and the classmate have reconciled and are friends.

Lee will have to undergo a parliamentary confirmation hearing process to be appointed as the new KCC chief.

On the same day, Yoon appointed Kim Yung-ho as his new unification minister at the Yongsan presidential office.

Last month, Kim, a professor of political science and diplomacy at Sungshin Women's University, was named as the replacement for Kwon Young-se, Yoon's first unification minister.

Kim, known for his hard-line stance towards North Korea, previously served as a presidential secretary of unification affairs and later as the Foreign Ministry's human rights ambassador under the Lee Myung-bak administration.

Yoon pushed through with the appointment Friday after the deadline to adopt the parliamentary confirmation hearing report expired.

Presidents can appoint minister candidates without the adoption of a National Assembly hearing report, and Yoon has previously carried through with several appointments skipping this process. This marks his 15th such Cabinet appointment without confirmation.

This comes as the Unification Ministry announced its plans to reform and downsize its organizational structure on Friday.

In the beginning of July, Yoon said that the Unification Ministry should stop "acting like a North Korea support agency," forecasting that changes may be coming.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, takes a commemorative photo with Kim Yung-ho after appointing him as his new unification minister at the Yongsan presidential office Friday afternoon. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]