“President Yoon Approves Dismissal of Chairman of Korea Communications Commission Over Manipulation Scandal”

On the 30th, President Yoon Seok-yeol approved the dismissal of Han Sang-hyuk, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission. Han’s term of office, appointed by the Moon Jae-in administration, was until the end of July.

The Office of the President’s Spokesperson released written materials late that afternoon and said, “According to the indictment and hearing materials against Chairman Han Sang-hyuk, Chairman Han Sang-hyuk is the director and manager of the Korea Communications Commission, who was arrested and indicted for manipulating the evaluation score in the TV Chosun re-approval review process. As the person in charge of directing and supervising the judges and the chairman of the jury, he did not fulfill his duties at all.”

In addition, “Chairman Han Sang-hyeok received a report from a working-level official that there was no problem with the TV Chosun re-approval review committee, and he said, ‘I’m going crazy, I’m going to be noisy, I’m going to eat some swear words’ He betrayed his fairness as the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission by expressing his intention that it was difficult to perform.”

The spokesperson’s office said, “(Chairman Han Sang-hyeok) received a report that ‘he asked some of the judges of the TV Chosun re-approval review committee to revise the TV Chosun evaluation scores posthumously, making some items erroneous’, and at the general meeting of the Korea Communications Commission It interfered with the execution of public affairs through hierarchical means, such as tricking the Korea Communications Commissioners who were unaware of the manipulation so that the decision to’conditional reapproval’ was made for TV Chosun.”

The spokesperson’s office continued, “In addition, we directly ordered that A, a member of the Mineonryun, who had been insisting that TV Chosun’s re-approval be revoked, be included as a member of the TV Chosun re-approval review committee. He claimed that he had abused the authority of the Korea Communications Commission, such as not doing so.”

The spokesperson’s office said, “Finally, Chairman Han Sang-hyeok abused his authority as chairman of the Korea Communications Commission by ignoring the internal standards set by the Korea Communications Commission and arbitrarily shortening the effective period for re-approval for TV Chosun from 4 years to 3 years, and TV Chosun’s evaluation score was posthumously suspended.” When the press reported that “The Korea Communications Commission was not involved in the evaluation of TV Chosun scores,” they ordered the preparation of false official documents, such as writing and distributing false press releases.”

The spokesperson’s office said, “As the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, we violated the responsibility and duty of command and supervision, causing an unprecedented situation in which three people were arrested and prosecuted. It was dismissed,” he said.

Lee Dong-gwan, special adviser for foreign cooperation to the President, is being mentioned as the next chairman of the Korea Communications Commission. Special Advisor Lee was a reporter for the Dong-A Ilbo and served as the Blue House spokesperson and chief public relations officer of the Lee Myung-bak administration. He has been advising President Yoon on matters related to media and politics, and is known to be highly trusted by the President.