Opposition: "'Park Deokheum, suspected of preferential contract awards, unfit as lawmaker" ... Full-scale resignation campaign

Ruling Party: "Explanation is Inconsistent"... Pressure to Expel Park Deok-heum
Some Opposition Lawmakers Criticize, "Party Leader Needs to Apologize"
Park Deok-heum: "Political Attack Trying to Divert Attention with Ruling Party Issue"

Park Deok-heum, a member of the People Power Party who was accused of receiving preferential construction contracts from agencies under his jurisdiction while serving as a member of the National Assembly 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 Kim Ga-yeon] Park Deok-heum, a member of the People Power Party, has completely denied allegations surrounding him, including suspicions of winning construction contracts worth hundreds of billions of won from supervised institutions, calling them "public opinion manipulation and political attacks." However, criticism continues in the political sphere, with calls that "he is unfit to be a member of the National Assembly," suggesting that the controversy surrounding Park is expected to intensify.

On the 22nd, Han Jeong-ae, the Policy Committee Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at a floor strategy meeting, "When the 20th National Assembly passed the amendment to the Industrial Safety and Health Act, Park, who was on the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, personally visited the Environment and Labor Committee to block certain parts of the bill," adding, "The term 'conflict of interest' is far too mild for this situation. The People Power Party should consider whether its members can perform appropriate legislative activities when reassigning them."

From the same party, Rep. Moon Jin-seok said, "Instead of reflection, there were only shameless excuses, denials, and sophistry, with no clear explanation. He should apologize to the public and resign from his position," emphasizing, "Judicial authorities should immediately start an investigation, and the People Power Party must properly uncover the truth and fulfill its responsibility as a political party."

Shin Dong-geun, a Supreme Council member, also demanded Park's expulsion on the 21st during YTN Radio's 'Starting New Morning,' stating, "This is the largest and worst conflict of interest case in the history of the National Assembly, possibly violating the Public Officials Ethics Act, the Anti-Corruption Act, and even constituting third-party bribery. The People Power Party must swiftly take appropriate measures."

No Woong-rae, another Supreme Council member, said at the Supreme Council meeting the same day, "The People Power Party made a fuss about dust in others' eyes while demanding Minister Choo Mi-ae to resign, but now they ignore the beam in their own eye," stressing, "If the People Power Party truly fears the power of the people, it must take firm action to eradicate corruption and wrongdoing."

Jin Seong-jun, a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Democratic Party, criticized in an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 22nd, "(Park's explanation) is inconsistent. He is trying to buy time, waiting for public opinion to subside."

Regarding Park's claim that if the 2015 suspicion of illicitly winning a 40 billion won Seoul city-commissioned construction contract is true, then Democratic Party members Cheon Jun-ho, who served as Seoul City Secretary-General and Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs, and Jin Seong-jun are also responsible, Jin responded, "I served as Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs from July 1, 2018, to March of the following year. Construction and civil engineering projects are not under the Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs' jurisdiction."

He added, "It was appropriate to accept the audit committee's recommendations as a supervised institution and take related measures, but if Park ordered it and as a result, companies owned by Park's family won contracts, that itself is a conflict of interest," pointing out, "It's a feeble excuse trying to cover up the truth."

Park Deok-heum, a member of the People Power Party who was accused of receiving preferential construction contracts from agencies under his jurisdiction while serving as a member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, is greeting at a clarification press conference held on the 21st at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Chae I-bae, a former Bareunmirae Party lawmaker who proposed the 'Conflict of Interest Prevention Act,' also criticized on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that day, saying, "Ultimately, this has become a subject of political strife, but in my view, Park should have recused himself from the work."

Chae said, "There are reports that he operated a construction company and blocked related laws during the 20th National Assembly," adding, "The 'three strikes law' prevented anyone who colluded in bids three or more times from receiving government contracts, but he opposed and ultimately blocked it. At this point, he should have voluntarily recused himself, or someone should have said, 'Please prevent this person from doing it,' but such a system was not in place."

As the controversy surrounding Park expands, opinions within the People Power Party are divided. Some members have raised their voices, saying that party-level measures commensurate with public outrage should be taken.

Seong Il-jong, an emergency committee member of the People Power Party, said on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' "If (the allegations related to Park) are problematic, it would be good to bundle them with Democratic Party members Lee Sang-jik, Yoon Mi-hyang, Kim Hong-geol (expelled from the Democratic Party), and Park for a special investigation."

Seong added, "There are many issues with ruling party lawmakers as well, but no expulsion procedures are underway. I see the calls for Park's expulsion as a political offensive by the ruling party," and said, "A special investigation to fairly determine whether these are public suspicions would be good."

Ha Tae-kyung, a People Power Party lawmaker, said on the 22nd on tbs Radio's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory,' "The confirmed fact is that a person involved in construction served on the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee for five years and was even the floor leader. This was assigned by the party. The public finds this hard to accept," adding, "At least the party leader should apologize for the Park incident."

From the same party, Park Soo-young said on the 21st on YTN Radio's 'Starting New Morning,' "He should be dealt with in the same way as Kim Hong-geol. If his explanation is insufficient, the party's ethics committee should investigate," pointing out, "The urgent task is to clarify what is true and what is false."

Earlier, on the 21st, Park held a press conference at the National Assembly, stating, "The ruling party is making baseless claims that construction contracts increased because I said a word during the audit, was assigned to related standing committees, or was appointed floor leader," and added, "I cannot shake the thought that this is a political attack trying to 'muddy the waters' of recent ruling party issues. It is very regrettable."

Park argued, "If the ruling party's baseless claims are true, it means the ruling party itself admits that South Korea's bidding system has collapsed and sends a message to the public that it is okay to distrust the entire government organization," and "If there were criminal charges, the prosecution under the Moon Jae-in administration would not have ignored complaints against opposition lawmakers."

He continued, "The suspicion that family companies' contract amounts increased significantly after my appointment as floor leader of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee is completely untrue. It contradicts objective statistics," and explained, "While serving as a lawmaker, I have never exerted undue influence or made requests related to construction contracts with government ministries or affiliated institutions."