Yang Seung-dong
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yang Seung-dong | |
|---|---|
양승동 | |
| President of the Korean Broadcasting System | |
| In office 9 April 2018 – 9 December 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Goh Dae-young |
| Succeeded by | Kim Eui-chul |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 July 1961 Gongju, South Korea |
| Alma mater | Korea University |
| Occupation | Journalist |
Yang Seung-dong (Korean: 양승동, born 15 July 1961) is a South Korean journalist. He served as the 23rd and 24th President of the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS).
Born in Gongju, Yang was educated at Kimin Secondary School and Daejeon High School.[1][2] He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and international relations,[2] as well as a master's degree in international politics from Korea University.[3][unreliable source?][4]
Yang was hired to KBS as a producer of the Issue and Culture Department in 1989,[3][4][5][unreliable source?] and directed TV programmes such as KBS Special, Good Insight, History Special, In Depth 60 Minutes and so on.[3][4] In 2007, he served as the President of Korean Producers and Directors Association and KBS Producers and Directors Association, and as the Organisation and Production Director of KBS Busan in 2013.[6]
In 2008, Yang was one of the co-presidents of the KBS Employees Action to Defend Public Broadcasting (shortly Employees Action), an organisation fighting against the media control of the President of the Republic, Lee Myung-bak.[7] The organisation also aimed to protect the incumbent KBS President Chung Yeon-joo from dismissal.[8][9] After Lee Byung-soon replaced Chung, Yang was sacked from KBS,[10] but filed an appeal so that the punishment was eased to 4-month suspension.[11] He was assigned to the Non-production Department for 2 years.[3][9][2]
On 5 February 2018, almost a year after Moon Jae-in and the Democratic Party of Korea came to power, Yang announced his bid for KBS presidency after considering for a month.[8] According to an interview with Media Today, he explained that one of his juniors advised him to take the office.[8] He also added that KBS, as a public broadcasting, should be independent from bureaucrats and capitals, citing examples of JTBC and MBC.[8] On 26 February, Yang was formally chosen as the sole presidential candidate for KBS.[9][6] The decision was subsequently endorsed by National Union of Mediaworkers KBS (shortly KBS New Trade Union).[9] On 6 April, he was officially appointed by the President of the Republic Moon Jae-in, though he failed to pass the National Assembly hearing process, in which the Liberty Korea Party opposed his appointment.[12]
On 31 October 2018, Yang was re-elected for his office, after passing an interview of KBS board of directors and citizens' advisories.[5] His inauguration was held on 12 December 2018.[2] In his capacity as President of KBS, Yang has also been a member of the Global Task Force for Public Media, an initiative of the Public Media Alliance, since May 2020.[13]
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