Cheong Wa Dae Must Come Forth to Explain

If real life can be more dramatic than TV dramas, it would be interesting to watch the real-life drama about running a TV station. This has happened at the public broadcaster MBC over the past few years until it came to a climax ― or anticlimax ― last week.

Kim Woo-ryong, the government-appointed chairman of the Foundation for Broadcasting Culture, a nonprofit organization that is the main decision-maker of MBC, offered to resign Friday, just two days after a monthly magazine carrying his interview hit local bookstands. In the interview, Kim, during his ``candid talks,'' indicated Cheong Wa Dae pressured the MBC chief to eliminate ``leftists'' from the nation's second-largest TV station.

``The recent personnel shakeup at MBC was made only after the 'big house' called in its president, Kim Jae-chul, and gave him some lashes,'' the foundation head said. ``We also would have sacked Kim's predecessor far earlier, but decided to keep him pending the Assembly's approval of the then prime minister-designate, Chung Un-chan.''

Even more surprising than the content of Kim's remarks ― nothing but the confirmation of open secrets for many critics ― was how Cheong Wa Dae named a person with such a loose tongue, thirst for cheap fame and poor judgment as the chief caretaker of the nationwide network station. The blame for this pitiful appointment should be traced back to Choi See-joong, President Lee's broadcasting czar, and the President himself. Is this because their sole criterion was ideological allegiance, too?

It is rather ironic the foundation, established in 1988 to protect the public broadcaster from political pressure under military dictators, is now serving as the conveyer of such pressure under civilian rulers.

MBC's latest plight began with its ``PD Notebook'' program, a 60 Minute-style documentary news format criticizing the Lee administration's resumption of U.S. beef imports, which the government believes instigated months of candlelight vigils in 2008. With or without the program, however, Koreans would have rectified the beef issue, if what happened in Taiwan is any guide. And, with or without the program, MBC might have undergone similar personnel change, if what occurred at the other two public broadcasters ― the KBS and news-only YTN channels ― are any indicators.

Of course, heads of public broadcasters come from the governing camp, which is also true of the BBC. But the ruling elite in Britain or other advanced countries do not kick out incumbents during their tenures, much less by mobilizing all of their power organs, including public prosecutors and tax officials. Nor do they appoint new leaders' former media aides to the top posts of media outlets.

The National Assembly should immediately hold hearings into the MBC case and call for Cheong Wa Dae's explanation, although it is extremely skeptical whether the governing Grand National Party would cooperate to it.

President Lee and his GNP have been trying to take over the four major estates, including media, quite successfully. But absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely, and a gigantic dam can burst with a small hole, as the act of arrogation by this cat's paw shows.