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Members of the Democratic Party’s Supreme Council hold a meeting at the National Assembly on Aug. 2. (Yonhap)

The Democratic Party continued to lambast Yoon’s nominee to head the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), on Wednesday, dubbing the comment he made the previous day appearing to liken certain media to “communist organs” as a “declaration of war against the press.”

During a meeting of the Democratic Party’s highest leadership, the liberal party’s floor leader Park Kwang-on criticized Lee Dong-kwan for “revealing his intention to take control of the media from his very first day as [KCC chair] nominee,” arguing that “[Lee’s] statement that ‘communist party newspapers do not count as media’ is akin to a declaration of war against the press warning he will slap ideological labels on media critical of the government and take control of [them].”

He continued, “The expression ‘communist’ is even more inappropriate. Many members of the public compare attempts to blacklist media critical of the administration, inspect public television personnel by mobilizing intelligence agencies, interfere with personnel decisions, and dominate the media to that of the communist party.”

Democratic Party Supreme Council member Jung Chung-rae also blasted Lee’s comment as a “statement declaring the advent of McCarthyism in South Korea,” pointing out that “Lee should notify investigative and intelligence authorities if he knows the whereabouts of communist media.”

“Otherwise, he will be punished under Article 10 of the National Security Act for failure to report,” Jung added.

Viewing Lee’s appointment as a signal that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration intends to take control of the media, the Democratic Party continued its discussion regarding the matter well into its closed-door meeting.

Afterward, Democratic Party spokesperson Park Seong-jun shared, “Lee blatantly made clear his intention to hereafter suppress reports critical of the government. On top of investigations into the Korean Broadcasting System, KCC investigations into the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation and [its major shareholder], the Foundation for Broadcast Culture, will continue, and pressure will build as well.”

Meanwhile, during a radio interview on the Buddhist Broadcasting System, Democratic Party Supreme Council member Jang Kyung-tae commented, “[Lee] seems to be more of a nominee for the chair of the Korea Communications Control Commission, not the Korea Communications Commission,” arguing that “if [Lee] previously dominated the media, this time, [he] will destroy the media, wrecking the field to the point no media company will remain standing.”

By Lee Woo-yun, staff reporter

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