Kim Yong-soo, a former aide to impeached President Park Geun-hye and deputy minister for information communications policy at the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, was inaugurated as a standing commissioner of the Korea Communications Commission on Thursday, amid controversy over the timing of his appointment.

Kim was nominated by acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn on Wednesday to succeed Lee Ki-joo, a former KCC standing commissioner.

The standing commissioner is equivalent to a vice minister position. Including the KCC chairman, the government agency has a five-member commission that is authorized to deliberate approval for broadcasters and regulate the telecommunications industry.

Hwang’s office said the nomination is inevitable in order to minimize the administrative vacuum at the KCC, which currently has two vacant standing commissioner positions, and with Chairman Choi Sung-joon resigning Friday.

Regarding the nomination, Ko Sam-seog, an incumbent KCC commissioner, denounced the acting president’s decision on the nominee, citing how he has worked for jailed former President Park at her government transition team, and also served as a presidential secretary on information, broadcasting and communications affairs at Cheong Wa Dae in 2013.

“Kim is a figure who had pushed for the disbandment of the KCC in order to create the current ICT Ministry,” Ko said.

Under the Park government, the ICT Ministry was newly established to promote related industries and the creative economy initiative, with the ministry taking over the policymaking role from the KCC. The commission has been halved with only the role of regulator.

KCC officials also highlight the controversial timing of launching a new commission, about a month ahead of the 19th presidential election.

It is widely viewed among political watchers that the fate of the ICT Ministry would be one of the fastest targets of the incoming president, as it is perceived as a brainchild of Park.

“The KCC has formed an internal task force to prepare against possible organizational restructuring in the new government,” said a KCC official. “According to what’s been said, the task force is aimed at enhancing the KCC’s functions by taking back the policymaking role on the broadcast and communications industries from the ICT Ministry.”

The ICT Ministry is also reportedly operating a task force to deal with the possible disbandment of the ministry.

KCC Chariman Choi stressed during his a press conference Thursday that the policymaking and regulating functions should be given in alignment to a single institution in order to boost efficiency.

“Learning from my three-year experience at KCC, I believe promotion and regulation are related and should go together,” Choi said. “Broadcasting and communications also need to be handled by a single government branch. I hope this will be considered by the upcoming government restructuring.” 

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)