Inspection Agency to Launch Investigation on KBS

The Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea launches its investigation on the Korean Broadcasting System Wednesday.

The inspection agency announced Tuesday that it would order around 20 auditors to investigate the state-run broadcasting station as the BAI`s administrative judgment committee rejected KBS’ request to cancel the inspection and suspend the execution.

In the press release, the BAI said, “The committee rejected KBS’ request to cancel the inspection since our investigation on KBS is part of an audit process which includes establishment of audit plan and execution, thus it is not a proceeding that can be subject to administrative judgment. The committee also rejected KBS’ request to suspend the execution since its request for judgment is unlawful.”

The BAI’s three executives including the secretary-general, the executive director of education, and the executive director of research and four outsider directors participated in the committee and unanimously decided to cancel the request.

The inspection agency said, “We have not conducted any investigation on KBS since 2004. And, some people have raised suspicion about the station’s reckless management and misuse of the right to implement personnel management. Since some civic organizations have urged the BAI to investigate KBS, we decided to launch a comprehensive investigation on the broadcaster.”

kimhs@donga.com