The chief of South Korea's major public broadcaster MBC was questioned by the labor ministry early Tuesday over allegations that he violated labor laws and unfairly exerted influence over personnel affairs at the company based on political bias.
Kim Jang-kyom, president and CEO of MBC, appeared at a Seoul district agency of the Ministry of Employment and Labor to be quizzed over the suspicions, according to the ministry.
He is accused of meddling in the news production in favor of the previous conservative Park Geun-hye government and abusing his authority in personnel matters by disadvantaging some employees who refused to follow his directions.
Kim had been previously summoned by the government office for questioning after MBC employees, including journalists and producers, lodged a formal complaint against him. But the MBC chief refused to make an appearance, prompting a Seoul district court to issue a detention warrant on him Friday.
Hundreds of unionized employees at MBC and KBS, another public broadcaster, went on strike simultaneously earlier this week, urging their chiefs to resign and calling for the independence of news production.
