DistantNews
Support us
🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Four-year fight against government takeover of public broadcaster detailed in new book

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • A new book chronicles a four-year struggle by public broadcasting officials to protect MBC from government takeover attempts.
  • The author, Kwon Tae-sun, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, faced legal challenges and dismissal attempts orchestrated by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
  • The book details legal victories that thwarted the government's efforts and offers proposals for media reform.

A four-year battle to safeguard public broadcaster MBC from government control is chronicled in the new book, "The Road Without Struggle Is No Road." The author, Kwon Tae-sun, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), details his fight against what he describes as a systematic effort by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to seize control of MBC.

Kwon faced a barrage of legal and administrative actions, including a complaint for violating the Board of Audit and Inspection Act, which he was later cleared of by police. The Board of Audit and Inspection had requested an investigation into Kwon for allegedly obstructing an audit by not submitting related documents on time. The KCC used this as grounds to dismiss him.

It was the most difficult and arduous time of my life, second only to being forcibly dismissed during the Chun Doo-hwan military regime.

— Kwon Tae-sunKwon describes the intense pressure and challenges faced during the four-year struggle to protect MBC.

The book argues that these actions, involving multiple government bodies, were a precursor to the administration's broader plan to control MBC. Kwon, a former journalist who was dismissed during the Chun Doo-hwan military regime, described this period as the most difficult of his career, second only to his own forced dismissal.

Legal challenges mounted by Kwon and others proved successful. Court decisions nullified the unlawful dismissal of the chairman and the appointment of KCC members who did not meet the required qualifications. These rulings were hailed as "historic judgments that severed the vicious cycle of executive dismissals aimed at controlling public broadcasting for the first time." As Kwon prepares to step down as chairman upon the appointment of new members, the book concludes with his proposals for media reform, emphasizing the need for a public service media-focused environment and internal media ethics, alongside crucial civil society oversight and encouragement.

Historic judgments that severed the vicious cycle of executive dismissals aimed at controlling public broadcasting for the first time.

— Kwon Tae-sunKwon reflects on the significance of court rulings that overturned government actions against MBC leadership.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog