[Summary] DJ Secretary Kim Han-jung: "Kim Hong-gul, This Is Not an Avoidable Shower"... Ruling Party Refers to Ethics Inspection Team

"Regretting the Situation Where Kim Hong-gul Cannot Be Defended... A Decision Must Be Made"
Mentioning the 'Hongsam Trio' Incident... "Cannot Forget DJ's Disappointment"
Kim Hong-gul Referred to Ruling Party's Ethics Inspection Team on the 16th

Kim Hong-gul, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending and speaking at the Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Kim Hong-gul, the third son of the late former President Kim Dae-jung and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, has been referred to the party's 'Ethics Inspection Team,' an organization that deals with issues such as corruption among elected officials within the party. Meanwhile, Kim Han-jung, a Democratic Party lawmaker and former secretary to President Kim, urged for a decisive action, saying, "I hope a resolution will be made."

On the 18th, Kim posted on his Facebook, "It is regrettable that I cannot defend or justify the circumstances Kim Hong-gul is currently facing. He purchased several houses but has failed to provide a convincing explanation," adding, "This is not a passing shower that can be avoided by waiting."

On the same day, Kim also shared a column from a media outlet that mentioned the so-called 'Red Ginseng Trio' incident during the Kim Dae-jung administration. The column included an anecdote about a key Blue House official secretly visiting Kim Hong-gul, who was overseas at the time, to make him confess to accepting bribes.

The incident involved the three sons of former President Kim, including Kim Hong-gul, being arrested and indicted on charges of illegally receiving bribe funds near the end of Kim's presidency. Kim Hong-gul was sentenced to probation in a 2002 trial.

Regarding this, Kim Han-jung stated, "I am the key Blue House official mentioned here," explaining, "When the expos? broke out, President Kim ordered me, who was serving as the chief of the First Presidential Office and staying close by, to meet with his third son Hong-gul, who was in the United States."

He continued, "Hong-gul admitted, 'Although the amounts differ, it is true that I received money several times. However, I denied having granted any favors in return,'" adding, "When I reported back immediately, I still cannot forget the president's disappointment and shock. The First Lady, who was deeply distressed, shed tears."

He pointed out, "The most embarrassing issue is the disappointment and resentment from many who respected and followed President Kim Dae-jung and Mrs. Lee Hee-ho."

Kim Han-jung, Democratic Party member / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Kim Hong-gul has recently been embroiled in multiple allegations, including false asset declarations.

Previously, Kim Hong-gul, who was elected as a candidate of the Together Citizens' Party in the 21st general election, sparked controversy after it was revealed that he omitted one apartment pre-sale right (valued at 1.235 billion KRW as of February) from his asset declaration, reporting four houses as three.

He also claimed to have disposed of an apartment in Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to reduce his multiple home ownership, but controversy arose as the disposal was actually a gift to his second son.

As a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee, which receives reports on inter-Korean policy from the government, he was also criticized for holding a large amount of stocks categorized as North-South cooperation theme stocks. According to the current Public Officials Ethics Act, lawmakers and other first-level asset disclosure subjects must sell or place in blind trust any stocks exceeding 30 million KRW in value, or request a job-relatedness review from the Stock Blind Trust Committee of the Ministry of Personnel Management if they judge there is no conflict of interest.

However, Kim Hong-gul's side explained the omission in asset declaration by saying, "He did not manage his assets directly and was unaware of the existence of the pre-sale right and whether it was subject to declaration."

Regarding the criticism that he did not undergo a job-relatedness review for the stocks he holds, they stated, "We have submitted materials to the National Assembly Audit Office," and "If there is any conflict of interest, the stocks will be disposed of."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has referred Kim Hong-gul to the Ethics Inspection Team for investigation. On the 16th, after the party's Supreme Council meeting, Chief Spokesperson Choi In-ho briefed, "The inspection team will thoroughly investigate all allegations raised regardless of rank or position and report the results," adding, "A rigorous investigation will be conducted."