Audit board calls for ouster of KBS president

Posted on : 2008-08-06 13:12 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Though the board cites mismanagement and abuse of power, critics say the BAI is acting as President Lee’s proxy
 located in the Jongno district
located in the Jongno district

The Board of Audit and Inspection decided on August 5 to call for President Lee Myung-bak to fire Korea Broadcasting System President Jung Yun-joo, citing his alleged mismanagement practices and abuse of power in making personnel appointments. In response, media organizations and professors accused the BAI of conspiring on behalf of the administration of President Lee, who has been seeking to tighten his grip on national broadcasters, while abandoning its political neutrality as a constitutional institution.

The BAI’s decision came only 55 days after it launched a special audit of KBS. Given the fact that it usually takes five to six months for the state auditor to conduct an audit, the audit board’s actions are unusual.

On May 21, the BAI made the unexpected announcement that it would conduct the audit after conservative groups, led by the National Action Campaign for Freedom and Democracy in Korea and the New Right United, filed a petition with the government auditor to probe KBS. Five days after announcing that an audit of KBS would be conducted, the BAI began a preliminary audit of the public broadcaster. Over the next seven weeks, the BAI carried out an in-depth audit of KBS. “The audit was conducted at full speed. It usually takes more than four months for the auditor to complete an audit,” media organizations point out.

The BAI has also been criticized for conducting the audit based the conservative groups “strange allegation” that KBS’s losses have snowballed under Jung’s five-year tenure. However, the allegation seems faulty because the conservative groups argue that KBS posted 150 billion won in losses, without including the fiscal years in which the broadcaster reported a profit.

KBS claims it posted a total of 18.9 billion won in profits in the five years during Jung’s tenure. Critics also say it is inappropriate for the government auditor to sack the head of a public broadcaster for “poor management.”

“Employees are even divided over the assessment of management and structure, so it doesn’t make sense that the BAI would raise questions,” said a KBS official.

In another unusual move, the BAI stepped up its pressure on Jung by asking him to appear for questioning four times after the audit had been completed. “Since KBS was established in 1973, the BAI has conducted 38 audits of KBS. But it has never summoned a KBS president during this process,” KBS said.

Critics describe the government audit board’s move as being akin to throwing away its honor and pride as a constitutional institution. Choi Young-mook, a professor at SungKongHoe University, said, “The BAI, which should be the most neutral of government institutions, is being exploited by the government in its effort to tighten its grip on the media and manipulate public opinion. It’s an act of threatening media and shaking the country’s system of democracy.”

Kim Gap-bae, a lawyer, said, “Under a law governing the BAI, conditions for dismissal should be applied to personal corruption cases such as bribery and others. Besides, the BAI isn’t allowed to ask the president to fire Jung Yun-joo because the president doesn’t have the power to dismiss (a KBS chief).”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

Most viewed articles