[2020 National Audit] "Wolseong Audit, Blue House's 'Extreme Power Abuse'"... Mountain Committee Audit Also Marred by 'Shouting and Finger-Pointing'

The photo shows members of the United Future Party absent from the full meeting of the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee on the afternoon of July 28. (Image source=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chae-seok]

"There has been a long battle lasting 385 days between those trying to reveal the truth and those trying to conceal it. What is regrettable is that many illegal participants received only light punishments. There was abuse of power by the Blue House and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. In the face of their threats and intimidation, the humble public enterprise Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power had no choice but to kneel." (Kim Jeong-jae, People Power Party lawmaker)

"I cannot help but express deep regret over Representative Kim’s inquiry. There was no content in the audit report that revealed any relationship between the President and the Blue House regarding the audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection on the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1 involving KHNP and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy." (Song Gap-seok, Democratic Party lawmaker)

On the 22nd, at the National Assembly’s Industry, Trade, and Small and Medium Venture Business Committee (ITSMV Committee) audit, loud voices and finger-pointing were exchanged. Although this topic was mentioned during the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy audit on the 8th and the audit of public institutions under the ministry on the 15th, this scene was ultimately repeated during the comprehensive audit that day.

Representative Kim questioned Minister Sung Yun-mo of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and CEO Jeong Jae-hoon of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, suggesting that the economic feasibility evaluation of Wolseong Unit 1 was conducted unfairly due to pressure from the ruling party, the Blue House, and former President Moon Jae-in.

Kim stated, "The core of this Board of Audit and Inspection audit is the appropriateness of the economic feasibility evaluation for the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1, and safety and local acceptance issues were not within the scope of the audit," adding, "The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy seems to be under the illusion that it has been exonerated regarding safety and local acceptance issues in the decision process for the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1."

He continued, "I believe that future suspicions about safety and local acceptance must also be addressed through additional audits by the Board of Audit and Inspection," and insisted, "The suspicions of Blue House intervention, which were not resolved due to document destruction, must be fully uncovered through National Assembly audits."

Song, the ruling party’s secretary of the ITSMV Committee, expressed regret over Kim’s inquiry during a procedural speech to Chairman Lee Hak-young of the committee.

Song said, "There was no content in the Board of Audit and Inspection’s report on Wolseong Unit 1 that revealed any relationship with President Moon or the Blue House," and added, "If that is the case, inquiries should be made to clarify that relationship, not baseless questions like these."

He continued, "Are the ministry’s ministers and deputy ministers who appeared here (at the audit) some kind of serious criminals?" and said, "I find such inquiries very regrettable."

Afterwards, Representatives Kim and Song exchanged loud shouts and finger-pointing. Remarks such as "There are limits even in inquiries" and "Where do you get off pointing fingers like that?" were made.

Chairman Lee suspended the audit around 11:50 a.m., when the morning audit was in full progress, saying, "We will continue with the afternoon inquiries." Normally, the ITSMV Committee’s morning audit starts at 10 a.m. and ends around 12:30 p.m.

Even after Chairman Lee’s announcement of the recess, Representatives Kim and Song, along with lawmakers from both parties, exchanged words such as "Why are you interrupting procedural speeches?" "You need to understand the basics of the meeting," "Why are you speaking informally?" "Because you pointed fingers," and "Is finger-pointing not allowed but informal speech is?"