KBS Chief Snubs Prosecutor Summons
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) President Jung Yun-joo ignored the prosecution's call to present himself for questioning Tuesday over alleged breach of trust.
KBS said it was impossible for Jung to present himself at the requested time of 2 p.m., as the company had only formed a team of lawyers to represent him in the morning and they were still reviewing related records.
The broadcaster claimed the ongoing probe was politically motivated, as the investigation has come amid pressure on Jung to resign. Prosecutors launched the investigation one month after a former KBS worker filed a complaint against Jung for allegedly causing losses to the company in a legal case.
In January 2006, KBS dropped a high court lawsuit, in which it sought the refund of corporate tax levied by the Seoul Regional Tax Office. It agreed with the office on a refund of 50 billion won, although it had a chance of winning the suit. A lower court earlier ordered the tax authority to refund 199 billion won to the broadcaster.
The former worker claimed that Jung dropped the suit in order to make up for losses with the 50 billion won, so that his poor management would be covered. Jung was reappointed to his position in November that year.
``We must raise a question about the timing of the summons, as currently the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) is conducting a special inspection on KBS and the National Tax Service is looking into KBS subcontractors,'' one of the lawyers said.
Prosecutors, however, said the procedure was proper and far from being politically motivated.
KBS and some media-related civic groups claim that the investigation is part of the Lee Myung-bak government's attempt to take control of the media by appointing new heads favorable to the government. Three of Lee's former media advisors recently became the heads of broadcasting networks: Gu Bon-hong for the 24-hour news channel YTN; Chung Kuk-lok for international broadcasting Arirang TV and Radio; and Lee Mong-ryong for digital satellite broadcasting Skylife.
In the meantime, KBS' board of directors planned to recommend the company dismiss news chief Lee Il-hwa over a primetime news report which criticized the board. But they failed to officially discuss the issue at the board meeting, as less than half of the members agreed to do so.
On May 15, the prime time news program reported that the board discussed the dismissal of Jung, but the board said they discussed KBS' general affairs and thus the report was false.
Currently, six among the 11 board members are considered pro-government. The board has claimed KBS news reports are biased and unfairly target the President, while KBS reporters allege the government is trying to control the media.