Korea Press Foundation Re-elects Chairman Park Gi-jeong

On December 23, the Korea Press Foundation (KPF) held a board of directors meeting and re-elected current Chairman Park Gi-jeong (62, picture), and asked for official nomination to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. His three years’ term of office starts on January 1, 2005.

The board of directors took a vote to decide between Park and former President of Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) Seo Dong-gu for the new chief position. The board is composed of three executive directors, including Park, and 10 non-standing directors, including Chairman of the Korea Newspapers Association Hong Seok-hyun, Chairman of the Korea Newspapers and Broadcasting Editor’s Association Choi Gyu-cheol, Chairman of the Korea Broadcasting Association Lee Kung-hee, Chairman of the Korea Journalist Association Lee Sang-ki, and Managing Director of Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation Kim Soon-gil.

Thirteen members, including mandatory attendees, cast a ballot, and the two candidates won six votes each. According to the articles of the association that the presiding officer shall decide the issue in case of a tie, Executive Director Roh Jeong-son, who presided the meeting, voted for Park and made the decision. The two candidates already had a contest at the end of 2001, and Park won the vote at that time.

On the same day, a high ranking official of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said, “As a non-standing director affiliated with a media-related organization had ill feelings toward Seo and another director, and supported Park, the unexpected result came out.” Before the meeting, there were talks that Seo, who had been the presidential advisor on Media Policy, was unofficially decided to be the new chief director, but he lost the vote.

Regarding the result, the press commented, “It is surprising that Seo, who was supported by the presidential office, failed to be elected.” On March 25, 2003, Seo was appointed as president of KBS, but resigned 11 days after the appointment due to the opposition of the KBS Labor Union.

KPF Chairman Park graduated from Seoul National University and became a journalist of the Dong-A Ilbo in 1968. He has filled important posts such as political editor, city editor, editorialist, chief editor, and CEO of Dong-A Ilbo Cultural Center. “I think that the directors approved that I did a good, well-balanced job for the past three years.” Park said. “I will do my best to improve the circumstances of the media culture and set confused things into order,” he added.

The Korea Press Foundation re-appointed Director Roh, and nominated Editorialist of the Hankyoreh Go Young-jae as research director, and former Vice President of the Internet Newsline Lee Chun-bal as fund director.

Jin-Yeong Lee ecolee@donga.com