Democratic Party of Korea threatens another impeachment of Yoon appointee

Lee Dong-kwan, the head of the South Korean broadcaster regulator Korea Communications Commission (Yonhap)

The Democratic Party of Korea said Friday it would file a second motion to remove the chief of the country’s broadcaster regulator, after withdrawing the first one.

In Thursday’s National Assembly plenary session, the Democratic Party introduced and passed the contentious motion to impeach Lee Dong-kwan, who heads the Korea Communications Commission, only to retract it a day later amid public outcry.

The Democratic Party, which holds enough seats in the Assembly to pass motions without consent from the ruling People Power Party, has pushed to impeach several of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Cabinet members before Lee.

Lee, who was appointed in August, is accused by the main opposition party of “cracking down on outlets for hostile coverage against the government” and aiding what it calls "the president’s press control agenda.”

By Kim Arin(arin@heraldcorp.com)