Yoon approves resignation of broadcasting watchdog chief ahead of impeachment vote

President Yoon Suk Yeol accepted the resignation of Korea Communications Commission Chairman Kim Hong-il on Tuesday, his office said, before a National Assembly vote on his impeachment.

Kim offered to voluntarily step down earlier in the day, a move designed to have a successor continue the duties because impeachment would suspend the job. The position holds the key to decisions on broadcasting stations, including the appointment of a new president at MBC TV.

The resignation came just hours before the National Assembly was set to hold a plenary session, where the main opposition Democratic Party, which holds a controlling majority, planned to pass an impeachment motion against Kim.

The DP has accused Kim of unfairly running the broadcasting watchdog only with a vice chairperson, leaving three out of five KCC standing member positions vacant.

The opposition had pushed to impeach Kim because once impeached, his duties will immediately be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to endorse or reject the impeachment, a process that usually takes a few months.

The impeachment motion was sure to pass because the DP has a controlling majority of 171 seats in the 330-member parliament.

Rival parties have clashed over the KCC as it has the right to recommend and appoint board members of public broadcasters, which have influence in shaping public opinion.

The resignation comes about six months after Kim took office in December after former KCC Chairman Lee Dong-kwan resigned shortly before a vote on the impeachment motion against him. (Yonhap)