State broadcasting watchdog chief Kim Hong-il resigns ahead of impeachment vote
![Korea Communications Commission (KCC) Chairman Kim Hong-il, center, is surrounded by reporters as he heads out of the building after his retirement ceremony at the Gwacheon Government Complex in Gyeonggi on Tuesday. President Yoon Suk Yeol accepted his resignation earlier in the day. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/07/02/1c333a66-ec61-403f-964a-762fb1955637.jpg)
Korea Communications Commission (KCC) Chairman Kim Hong-il, center, is surrounded by reporters as he heads out of the building after his retirement ceremony at the Gwacheon Government Complex in Gyeonggi on Tuesday. President Yoon Suk Yeol accepted his resignation earlier in the day. [NEWS1]
Earlier in the day, Kim offered to voluntarily step down ahead of a National Assembly vote on his impeachment.
The presidential office said in a statement that Yoon "accepted" the resignation of the KCC chief a short while ago.
The move is likely to prevent a long-term suspension of duties at the state broadcasting watchdog KCC, which holds the authority to make decisions on broadcasting stations — including the appointment of the head of public broadcaster MBC. An impeachment would inevitably lead to duties being suspended for the time being, while with Kim's timely resignation, a successor could continue the job.
Later in the day, the National Assembly was set to convene a plenary session where the liberal Democratic Party (DP) was poised to pass an impeachment motion against Kim, as it holds a parliamentary majority.
Once parliament passes an impeachment motion, an individual could face suspension from duties for up to 180 days until the Constitutional Court makes a decision.
The DP has accused the Kim-led KCC of lacking transparency in its decision-making processes and appointments.
Similarly, last December, Yoon accepted the resignation of Kim's predecessor, then KCC chief Lee Dong-kwan, just 90 days after he took office as he faced an impeachment vote in the DP-controlled National Assembly.
Kim's resignation comes some six months after he took the KCC position on Dec. 29, 2023.
KCC Vice Chair Lee Sang-in will lead the commission as its acting chief for the time being.
BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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