The Fairness in Media Solidarity (FIMS) issued a statement on the 25th demanding that the Democratic Party and the KBS Board of Directors immediately cease their attempts to "oust the Chairman" and "seize control of broadcasting." [Photo = Yonhap News] 

The Fairness in Media Solidarity (FIMS) issued a statement on the 25th demanding that the Democratic Party and the KBS Board of Directors immediately cease their attempts to "oust the Chairman" and "seize control of broadcasting." 

In the statement, FIMS strongly criticized the board, asking, "Looking at the recent behavior of the KBS Board, one cannot help but wonder whether they are people truly concerned about the future of public broadcasting, or merely operatives executing a 'broadcasting takeover scenario' for a specific political group."

Furthermore, they denounced the pro-ruling party directors—including the five former directors who returned following a ruling by the Seoul Administrative Court—for suddenly pushing to "elect a new chairman," labeling their actions as sophistry intended to deceive the public.

FIMS questioned the basis in "democracy" or "reason" for the demand to replace the 12th-term chairman, asserting firmly that even if Seo Gi-seok’s term has ended, he remains the rightful KBS Chairman until his successor is appointed.

They also condemned the move, stating, "Pressuring the individual concerned to table an 'agenda for electing a new chairman' is an inhumane act of tyranny that treats a living person as if they were already dead, and is a complete abandonment of common courtesy."

Regarding the responsibilities of the board, FIMS stated, "Their duty is to facilitate the formation of a new board in accordance with the revised Broadcasting Act and to stabilize the public broadcaster KBS until then," expressing regret that the current board is showing greed by attempting to intervene in the selection of the next president.

They further emphasized, "Despite the fact that the method for electing the president has completely changed due to the legal revision, the attempt by the old board to hastily select a president before leaving is a rejection of the rule of law and a clear overreach of authority, usurping the role that belongs to the new board."

The following is the full text of the Fairness in Media Solidarity statement.

[FIMS Statement] Immediately Cease Attempts to Oust the KBS Chairman

 It is completely incomprehensible. Pro-ruling party KBS directors are ramping up efforts to elect a new chairman. No sooner had five former directors returned to their posts following a Seoul Administrative Court ruling than they began taking action. 

They claim that "it is necessary to elect a new chairman to enhance the democracy and rationality of the new board's operations and to fulfill the board's responsibilities." It is difficult to understand what they mean by that.

 The 13th KBS Chairman is Seo Gi-seok, and the former 12th-term chairman was also Seo Gi-seok. What kind of democracy and rationality is it to demand the replacement of the 12th-term chairman just because the court reinstated the 12th-term directors? Even good words become a mockery when applied indiscriminately.

And they say it is to fulfill the board's responsibilities, but the current board has a different role. The current board's duty is to help form a new KBS Board under the revised Broadcasting Act and to stabilize the company until that happens. 

Do not show greed by intervening in the selection of the KBS president for no reason. The method of electing the KBS president has changed completely due to the legal revision; if the current board selects a president and leaves now, what becomes of the law, and what is the new board supposed to do? 

Article 10, Paragraph 3 of the KBS Articles of Association states, "A chairman whose term has expired shall continue to perform their duties until a successor is appointed." Even if 12th-term Chairman Seo Gi-seok's term has ended, he remains the KBS Chairman until a successor is appointed. 

Yet, they demand that the person himself table an agenda to elect a new chairman—what kind of tyranny is this? It is like treating a living person as if they were a corpse. No matter how impatient one may be, at least a minimum level of courtesy must be maintained.

Moreover, it has been reported that some KBS directors previously known for right-wing leanings have sided with the pro-ruling party directors. It seems they are leaving to chase after a new feast now that the regime has changed. If we cannot stop them, we must at least remember their names. There is no guarantee they won't appear again someday, pretending to be fighters.

Few would believe that this commotion to oust the KBS Chairman is spontaneous. It brings to mind the "broadcasting takeover scenario" from the early days of the Moon Jae-in administration. 

This makes the Democratic Party appear quite clumsy. If they were going to exercise tyranny to revise the Broadcasting Act in the National Assembly, they should at least follow it themselves—was all that chaos just to create laws they had no intention of keeping? 

The Broadcasting Act revised by the Democratic Party at the end of last year requires the KBS Board to be composed of 15 members recommended by National Assembly negotiating groups, the KBS Viewer Committee, KBS employees, broadcasting media-related academic societies, and bar associations. 

It is an arrogant idea to suggest that when selecting directors for the "people's broadcaster," recommendations must come from highly educated people like scholars and lawyers rather than reflecting representation of the public. 

Even then, they only passed the law and have made no progress on follow-up procedures. The revised Broadcasting Act stipulated that a new KBS Board and executive body should be formed within three months of its enforcement, that is, by April 2nd of this year. 

Yet, with only a month left, I do not know what they have been doing. It is deplorable that in such a situation, the existing board is even showing greed for selecting a president. 

We strongly demand that the Democratic Party and the KBS directors cease their attempts to oust the KBS Chairman and abide by the law and common sense.

February 25, 2026

Fairness in Media Solidarity