[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Amid controversy over the fact that Kwak Sang-do, a member of the People Power Party, received 5 billion KRW as severance pay after working for six years at Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management (Hwacheon Daeyu), attention is turning to former special prosecutor Park Young-soo, whose daughter is reported to have worked at Hwacheon Daeyu.
Earlier, Choi Jae-hyung, a former Board of Audit and Inspection chief and a presidential candidate for the People Power Party, raised suspicions on Facebook on the 26th, asking, "How much did former special prosecutor Park's daughter earn while working at Hwacheon Daeyu?"
In response, Park's side told a media outlet on the same day, "Although his daughter left Hwacheon Daeyu, the retirement procedures have not been formally completed." They added, "Regarding specific amounts or company matters, even though they are father and daughter, she is an adult living an independent economic life, so former special prosecutor Park does not know the exact details."
Park's daughter was in charge of compensation work at Hwacheon Daeyu from 2016 until earlier this month. It is also known that Park himself worked as a legal advisor from the early days of Hwacheon Daeyu's establishment in 2015 until his appointment as special prosecutor in 2016.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Kwak's son received 5 billion KRW as severance pay after working for six years at Hwacheon Daeyu. Kwak joined Hwacheon Daeyu in June 2015, working as an assistant manager in the compensation team, and resigned in March of this year.
Through Kwak's Facebook on the same day, he revealed that he received salaries of 2.33 million KRW (July 2015?February 2018), 3.33 million KRW (March?September 2018), and 3.83 million KRW (October 2018?March 2021) while working at Hwacheon Daeyu.
Regarding the controversy over receiving a large severance pay, Kwak said, "The large amount of performance bonuses and consolation money was due to the company generating enormous profits," adding, "As a company employee, I also did my best in the tasks assigned to me to help generate such profits."
As criticism spread, Kwak voluntarily left the People Power Party on the same day.
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