Seoul, Aug 21 (IANS): The parliamentary broadcasting and communications committee held a hearing on the government's alleged control of the media Wednesday as the ruling party lawmakers boycotted the meeting.
Lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) left the session, arguing it was inappropriate to hold the hearing when a motion to impeach Korea Communications Commission (KCC) Chairperson Lee Jin-sook is still pending at the Constitutional Court, Yonhap news agency reported.
"KCC officials are currently defendants in a trial and forcing them to testify using the authority of the National Assembly is akin to coercing their confession," PPP Rep. Choi Hyung-du said.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has accused the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol of trying to control public broadcasting stations which led to the National Assembly's impeachment of KCC Chairperson Lee early this month.
One of the reasons for Lee's impeachment was that she approved the appointments of directors at public broadcasting stations on the day of her inauguration when the KCC's standing committee had only two pro-government members, including herself, with the remaining three seats unfilled.
The DP claims the approval constitutes a violation of the law.
On Wednesday, the PPP blamed the DP for the KCC's two-member decision-making structure, noting the opposition's failure to recommend its share of standing commissioners.
Later in the day, the DP said it would recommend its share of two KCC standing commissioners.
"The DP leadership has decided to recommend standing commissioners," Rep. Choi Min-hee of the DP, who chairs the science committee, said. "We look forward to the president's appointment."
The opposition has accused the former KCC chiefs under the Yoon administration of unfairly running the watchdog's decision-making standing committee, making decisions with two members while leaving the other three of the five positions vacant.
Lee took office as the new chief late last month but her duties were immediately suspended after the opposition-led National Assembly voted to impeach her. The Constitutional Court will decide whether to endorse or reject the impeachment, a process that usually takes a few months.
Rival parties have clashed over the KCC as it has the right to recommend and appoint board members of public broadcasters, which influence shaping public opinion.