Opposition Blocks Ruling Party's Media Commission Nominee

The National Assembly approved the ruling party's nominee for the Broadcasting and Communications Commission while rejecting the opposition's pick on Thursday.

Ko Min-soo, a professor at Gangneung-Wonju National University, was confirmed as a standing commissioner for the ruling party's seat on the commission.

However, Cheon Young-sik, CEO of Pen & Mike and the People Power Party's nominee, failed to secure parliamentary approval. The Democratic Party of Korea opposed his nomination, calling him an "extreme right-wing figure."

The vote broke with convention, where parties typically give tacit approval to each other's nominees. Instead, the Democratic Party allowed a free vote on Cheon's nomination rather than enforcing party discipline.

Cheon was rejected with 116 votes in favor, 124 against, and 9 abstentions out of 249 total votes.

The rejection was widely anticipated. The Rebuilding Korea Party issued a party statement opposing Cheon, calling him "a hyper-partisan insurrection sympathizer who denies constitutional order and defends rebellion."

The party added that Pen & Mike "has served as a mouthpiece for insurrectionist forces" and that Cheon "hosted an anti-impeachment rally for President Yoon Suk-yeol alongside far-right figure Jun Han-gil."

Meanwhile, the National Assembly approved both nominees for the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission: Kim Ba-ol, nominated by the Democratic Party, and Shin Sang-wook, nominated by the People Power Party.