The public radio station NPR in Washington, D.C. [AFP/Yonhap News file photo. Redistribution and DB prohibited]

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yeon-soo — The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds public broadcasters such as NPR and PBS in the United States, is shutting down its operations in the wake of the "Trump whirlwind."

According to foreign media reports, including the Associated Press, on the 2nd (local time), the CPB announced its decision to cease operations the previous day.

The CPB informed its employees that most operations will conclude by the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

A small transition team will remain to wrap up business until next January. The CPB explained that remaining tasks include securing music copyrights, which are essential for public media.

In a statement, the CPB said that despite various efforts, including millions of Americans petitioning Congress to maintain federal funding, they now face the difficult reality of having to cease operations.

Last month, the U.S. Congress passed a budget bill that cut $9 billion (approximately 12.5 trillion won) from international aid and public broadcasting budgets. As a result, the U.S. CPB had its two-year budget of $1.1 billion (approximately 1.5 trillion won) cut.

The abolition of the CPB marks another political victory for President Donald Trump, who has pushed for budget cuts while suspecting NPR and PBS of a "left-wing bias."

President Trump has attacked both broadcasters, claiming their "depiction of current affairs programming to taxpayer citizens has been neither fair, accurate, nor impartial."

The CPB was established by Congress in 1967 as an independent non-profit organization, and its funds are distributed to PBS, NPR, and more than 1,500 local public radio and TV stations across the country.

In a statement, NPR expressed concern, saying, "This shutdown (of the CPB) will affect all public media organizations, and more importantly, every local community across the country that relies on public broadcasting."

nomad@yna.co.kr

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