KBS Union Criticizes Opposition Parties’ Intervention

The labor union of the Korea Broadcasting System, a major television broadcaster in Korea, on Tuesday issued a statement that opposes the participation of the pro former President Roh Moo-hyun United Democratic Party in the candlelight vigils being held in front of KBS headquarters that began on June 11.

In its statement, the “UDP must drop out of the KBS candlelight vigils,” the union said, “It is dangerous for the UDP to intervene in candlelight vigils being held by citizens to safeguard the station and protect (KBS President) Jeong Yeon-ju .”

“UDP lawmaker Choi Moon-soon, who participated in the vigils twice, became a lawmaker through the proportional representative system when his term as a broadcast president ended,” said the labor union. “It is enough to be skeptical about his intention, which he claimed was for protecting ‘Jeong Yeon-ju.’ He said that he came to the vigils personally to prevent the GNP and the government from influencing the media.”

The union also said, “The group ‘National Participation 1219,’ a part of the former ruling Uri Party, is also joining the vigils by setting up tents and handing out pickets. It’s interesting that former lawmaker Jeong Cheong-rae from the group remained silent when the Roh administration put Jeong Yeon-ju in the place of the KBS president and has begun to call for protecting the national broadcast with the changed administration.”

The union said, “Some people in the company who try to draw the UDP to the candlelight vigils are also threatening the untainted spirit of the protests. They must recognize that cronies of former President Roh Moo-hyun, as well as those of President Lee Myung-bak, are all threatening the independence of the public network.”

suhchoi@donga.com