"Give Disciplinary Disadvantages to Speculative Public Officials"... Prime Minister Kim Says "Possible Through National Assembly Legislation"

June 6 National Assembly Budget Committee Full Meeting
"Concerns Over Basic Rights Infringement"... "Legislation Allows Policy Standards for Related Officials and Immediate Family"

Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Hong Nam-ki is attending the full meeting of the Budget and Accounts Committee held at the National Assembly on the 6th, delivering the settlement report. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporters Moon Chaeseok, Jang Sehee] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on the 6th that there are "several practical issues such as infringement of basic rights" regarding the ruling party's claim that a system should be established to impose personnel disadvantages on public officials involved in real estate speculation.

Prime Minister Kim made these remarks while attending the plenary session of the National Assembly's Budget and Accounts Special Committee on the same day. In response to Rep. Shin Jeong-hoon's (Democratic Party of Korea) remark that "there is a need to establish consistent social ethical regulations on real estate speculation," he replied, "Unlike stock blind trusts, experts have pointed out that (real estate speculation) involves infringement of basic rights and several practical issues."

He added, "If the National Assembly legislates related laws not only for high-ranking public officials but also for land officials and those equivalent to them, as well as their immediate family members, I think it can become a policy standard in our society."

When Rep. Shin further questioned that "the government should actively take the lead in creating a system that imposes personnel disadvantages on speculative public officials," Prime Minister Kim firmly stated, "If discussions first take place within the legislature and then the government is asked to present its position, the government will submit concrete materials to the legislature. I believe this is an issue to be resolved through legislation."