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President Lee Myung-bak on Monday fired KBS president Jung Yun-joo, who has been accused of mismanagement and bias. Lee accepted a recommendation by the KBS board of directors, who were in turn responding to a call from the Board of Audit and Inspection on Aug. 5 to fire Jung over debt, losses caused by his incompetence, unprincipled personnel management, and illegal and reckless implementation of projects. The board voted to sack Jung on Friday.
Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Lee Dong-kwan on Monday told reporters President Lee approved the recommendation submitted through the Ministry of Public Administration and Security to dismiss Jung. ˇ°We expect that this incident will serve as the momentum for KBS to renew its resolve to end reckless management practices, restore its public status, and be born again as a broadcasting network for the public,ˇ± he said.
President Lee was quoted as having called for a ˇ°rebirthˇ± of the network, hinting there will be a drastic reorganization of KBS.
"If the KBS directors recommend a qualified candidate, the government will vet his credentials and appoint him before the end of this month,ˇ± the spokesman promised. ˇ°The government is listening carefully to opinions that no KBS staffer has ever become its president before. One option would be a public contest to find a qualified candidate." The KBS board is expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss the selection of its next president.
Kim In-kyu, a former KBS executive and public affairs chief for President Lee during last year's election campaign, is being mentioned as a strong candidate for the next KBS president. Other potential candidates include KBS Business president Lee Byung-soon, SBS vice chairman Ahn Kug-jung, Kang Dong-soon, a standing member of the Korea Broadcasting Commission, and Kim Won-yong, a professor at Ewha Womans University.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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