[Summary] While the Democratic Party Expelled Kim Hong-gul... People Power Party Contemplates Park Deok-heum's Position

Opposition: "Form a Special Committee with Intra- and Extra-Parliamentary Figures... Will Quickly Uncover the Truth"
"Worst Conflict of Interest in History," "They Make a Fuss Over a Speck of Dust in the South" Ruling Party's Fierce Attack
Jin Joong-kwon: "Opposition Needs Stricter Moral Standards Than Ruling Party"
Park Deok-heum: "Political Offensive from Ruling Party... Just Speculation"

Park Deok-heum, a member of the People Power Party, who was accused of receiving preferential construction contracts from supervised institutions while serving as a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, is holding a press conference on the 21st at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The opposition party is expected to face deep deliberation over the fate of Park Deokheum, a People Power Party lawmaker accused of securing preferential contracts worth 100 billion won through a family-owned construction company from agencies under the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. The opposition plans to form a special committee within the party to verify the truth of the allegations against Park. However, since the opposition has criticized the ruling party over moral issues in the past and there is a risk of a counterattack, voices calling for strong measures against Park are growing louder.

On the 21st, the People Power Party announced it would form a special committee within the party for an urgent fact-finding investigation into Park. On the same day, Choi Hyungdoo, the party’s floor spokesman, said at a National Assembly press conference, "The special committee will be composed of members with investigative experience, expertise, former prosecutors and police officers, and those with budget procurement experience both inside and outside the National Assembly," adding, "We plan to swiftly uncover the truth and take appropriate measures."

Especially, first-term lawmakers in the party voiced the need for a tough response from the party leadership. Park Sooyoung, a first-term People Power Party lawmaker, appeared on YTN radio and said, "He should be dealt with in the same way as Kim Honggeol of the Democratic Party of Korea," emphasizing, "If his explanation is insufficient, the party’s Ethics Committee should investigate."

The People Power Party’s hesitation over Park’s fate seems to stem from concerns about a possible backlash from this incident. Recently, the party has criticized ruling party lawmakers over moral issues, but if the controversy around Park grows, the situation could reverse.

Shin Dong-geun, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea / Photo by Yonhap News

In particular, the Democratic Party has been focusing on resolving moral issues, recently launching the 'Ethics Inspection Team,' an organization dealing with corruption among elected officials within the party. The party also expelled Kim Honggeol, the third son of the late former President Kim Daejung, who was suspected of omitting part of his assets during the 21st general election.

On the 21st, the Democratic Party pressured the People Power Party to expel Park. Shin Donggeun, a senior member of the Democratic Party, appeared on YTN radio's 'Start Morning' and said, "This is the largest and worst conflict of interest case in the history of the National Assembly, which may violate the Public Officials Ethics Act, the Anti-Corruption Act, and could constitute a third-party bribery offense," emphasizing, "The People Power Party must take swift and proper action."

On the same day, Roh Woongrae, another senior member of the Democratic Party, criticized at the party’s supreme council meeting, "The People Power Party made a fuss over the speck in others’ eyes, demanding Minister Choo Mi-ae to resign, but they ignore the beam in their own eye," adding, "If the People Power Party truly fears the power of the people, it must take firm action to eradicate corruption and misconduct."

Voices calling for a strong response to Park also came from outside the political sphere. Jin Joongkwon, former professor at Dongyang University, wrote in a column for a media outlet on the same day, "There should be a zero-tolerance principle for corruption allegations involving party members," emphasizing, "The opposition party needs stricter moral and ethical standards than the ruling party. Only then can it properly check power."

Jin Joong-kwon, former professor at Dongyang University / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Park denied the allegations surrounding him on the same day, saying, "I regret that this seems to be a political attack trying to divert attention from recent ruling party issues."

At a National Assembly press conference, Park said, "The ruling party is making baseless claims that construction projects increased because I made a remark during the audit, was assigned to the related standing committee, or was appointed as a floor leader," adding, "If it is possible to give preferential treatment or pressure someone to win contracts in the open competitive electronic bidding system, then the current procurement system should be changed."

He continued, "The allegation that the amount of contracts won by my family’s company increased significantly after I was appointed floor leader of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee is completely untrue," explaining, "It is a false claim that contradicts objective statistics. The affiliated agencies and local governments that raised the allegations are institutions where related companies have consistently won contracts even before I became a lawmaker."

Meanwhile, Park is suspected of having his construction companies, where he and his family are major shareholders, secure contracts worth up to 100 billion won from agencies under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport during his five years as a member of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee in the 20th National Assembly.

The allegations were first raised by MBC’s 'Straight' program. Subsequently, on the 17th, Park denied the allegations in a press release, stating, "I have never exerted influence on contract awards," and "I will take legal action against the media that raised the allegations." However, after the allegations surfaced, Park resigned from the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee and moved to the Environment and Labor Committee.

Regarding this, Park said in an interview with Yonhap News on the 21st, "I did not want to burden the party by staying on the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee," emphasizing, "If there was any preferential treatment in contract awards, I should be punished and face the judgment of the law."