Broadcaster head suggests confidence vote amid appointment feud

(ATTN: MODIFIES throughout; UPDATES with more details from para 7)
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- The chief of South Korea's largest cable news channel
has suggested holding a vote of confidence to resolve a feud sparked by his
appointment, the head of a coalition of international journalists said Wednesday.
Officials at YTN, South Korea's sole 24-hour news network, said that chief
executive Gu Bon-hong indicated he is considering holding a vote of confidence to
settle the dispute, according to Aidan White, secretary general of the
International Federation of Journalists.
The appointment of Gu, a confidant of President Lee Myung-bak, as the head of YTN
in July has since triggered a bitter confrontation between the network's
management and union workers. The management has fired six union leaders and
penalized several others who led a 90 day sit-in in October to protest the
appointment.
"The CEO has suggested himself having a vote," said White, who has been meeting
with laid-off workers and management officials at YTN, as well as with
telecommunications regulators and lawmakers over the last three days in Seoul.
White suggested that the management and union leaders meet as soon as possible to
discuss the terms of a confidence vote and other pending issues, such as the
reinstatement of fired workers.
YTN's unionized workers have filed complaints with the Seoul Central District
Court, claiming Gu's appointment was "illegal" and thus any punitive action
against union members should be withdrawn.
"The dispute has been going far too long. I cannot disguise my disappointment,"
the secretary general said.
He also urged both sides to end the confrontation and release a joint declaration
in which they would vow coordinated efforts to secure YTN's editorial
independence.
White said the IFJ will closely follow the developments at YTN and may launch an
extensive investigation if necessary.
The Brussels-based organization released a statement in October criticizing the
South Korean government's alleged involvement in YTN, saying that it must end its
editorial interference in the company.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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