On September 2, police arrested Lee Jin-sook, the former chairwoman of Korea’s Broadcasting and Communications Commission (KCSC), on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act and the National Public Service Act.
According to police, Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo Police Station executed the arrest warrant at Lee’s home after she repeatedly ignored summons requests. The warrant was issued following a complaint filed by Democratic Party lawmakers over remarks Lee made last year after her impeachment.
The Remarks That Sparked the Case
Lee’s troubles began in August 2023 when the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against her. Not long after, she appeared on a conservative-leaning YouTube channel and made controversial comments.
Among her statements:
“The left is a group that does everything imaginable.”
“If majority rule becomes tyranny, it’s not democracy but the worst form of politics.”
Democratic Party members accused her of breaching political neutrality rules. In July, the Board of Audit and Inspection also issued her a formal warning, saying her remarks violated the duty of neutrality required of public officials.
The End of the Commission
Lee’s arrest came just one day after the Broadcasting and Communications Commission was formally dissolved. On September 1, a new law took effect establishing the Broadcasting, Media, and Communications Commission (BMCC), effectively abolishing the KCSC and launching its successor body.
As a result, Lee was automatically dismissed from her post. Speaking to reporters on her last day in office, she declared:
“The rule of law in Korea died today.”
She added that simply renaming a government agency to remove its head set a dangerous precedent, calling it the first case of its kind. Before getting into her car, she also left reporters with a farewell:
“You’ve worked hard. Goodbye and see you.”
Legal Counterattack
Just one day after her dismissal, Lee filed a constitutional petition challenging the new law and requested an injunction to suspend its effect.
She argued that the law was discriminatory:
“When making laws, legal basis is crucial. Why is it that appointed officials retain their positions while political appointees like myself do not? There’s no rational explanation. Since I’m the only political appointee, this law is clearly a targeted move against me.”
She went further, calling it:
“A targeted law designed to purge Lee Jin-sook.”
What Comes Next
The BMCC law was approved by the Cabinet on August 30 and promulgated the very next day. With the KCSC now gone and the BMCC officially in place, Lee’s legal battle will test not only the fate of her position but also broader questions about political neutrality, institutional reform, and whether Korea’s government crossed a line in reshaping its media regulator.
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