GWACHEON — Despite significant opposition protest, Lee Jin-sook assumed office as the chief of South Korea's broadcasting watchdog, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), on Wednesday, following her appointment by President Yoon Suk Yeol.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a former journalist with MBC and the country's "first female war correspondent," faced a contentious three-day confirmation hearing over allegations of previous misuse of corporate funds and suppression of labor rights at MBC. Nevertheless, her extensive experience, including her coverage of major conflicts like the Gulf War and the Iraq War, played a pivotal role in her appointment. Alongside Lee, Kim Tae-gyu, vice chairperson of the state-run Anti-corruption and Civil Rights Commission, was appointed as a member of the KCC's standing committee.
The appointment comes after vacancies left by the voluntary resignations of previous chairperson Kim Hong-il and acting chairperson Lee Sang-in, amidst impeachment threats from the opposition. The opposition has criticized the Yoon administration for mismanagement within the KCC, specifically in handling the decision-making process of the standing committee. As the new head of KCC, Lee Jin-sook is expected to address these challenges promptly, starting with convening a meeting to appoint new directors at the Foundation for Broadcast Culture, which oversees MBC.