Local media reports that officials from the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation and the Jeongsu scholarship foundation called the Chungo Association met recently to discuss the sale of the foundation’s stakes in MBC and the Busan Ilbo.

The reports have said two officials from MBC met with Chairman Choi Philip of the Chungo Association on October 8th and informed Choi that the broadcasting company would be offering shares to the public in the first half of the next year and requested the association, which has 30 percent of MBC’s shares, cooperate with the listing.

The MBC shares that the association had came under public scrutiny in recent days after controversy arose as to whether the shares had been taken from MBC by late President Park Chung-hee or they were given as a donation.

The Chungo Foundation was set up by Park and is currently being run by those seen as loyal to the late president.

The Democratic United Party has accused the association of intervening in the presidential election by planning to sell its stakes in MBC and Busan Ilbo, while the ruling Saenuri Party has said the association’s plans are unrelated to its presidential candidate, Park Geun-hye.