Recusal Dispute Disrupts Parliamentary Audit... KBS President Fails to Appear

The National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee's parliamentary audit was thrown into disarray following a dispute over the recusal of Korea Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook and Commissioner Han Jun-ho. Recusal is a procedure in which a commissioner with an interest in a particular agenda item steps back from its deliberation. At the audit on the 17th, the Democratic Party of Korea argued that Chairperson Lee's participation in proceedings related to her own dismissal was a conflict of interest, while the People Power Party countered that Commissioner Han should also be subject to recusal.

Meanwhile, KBS President Park Jang-beom failed to appear at the audit that day.

In the end, the audit proceeded only with questions to four witnesses before being adjourned.