[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] In the first broadcast debate of the People Power Party’s presidential primary, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min clashed once again. Yoo launched an offensive against Yoon by mentioning his connection with a figure known as the so-called ‘Cheongong Master’ and the ‘Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case’ involving Yoon’s wife, Kim Gun-hee. Yoon expressed displeasure, calling it a ‘defamatory attack.’
At the Honam region joint debate held on the 11th at KBS Gwangju Broadcasting Station in Seo-gu, Gwangju, Yoo opened by saying, "In the last debate, when I asked former Prosecutor General Yoon whether he knew Cheongong or Ji-jang, it was because this issue concerned the judgment of the national leader, the president." He continued, "After the last debate, (Yoon) said, ‘Jeongbeop (Cheongong) is not superstition,’ and ‘It could be defamation, so take a look at Jeongbeop,’ so I looked at a few, and it was utterly ridiculous." He added, "If you look at what the person called Jeongbeop said, ‘The reason my palm is red is because energy is flowing out, and cancer patients coughed up blood and were cured by this,’ and ‘The three Kim Il-sung family members will achieve unification and receive a Nobel Prize.’" He then asked, "How did you come to know this person?"
In response, Yoon said, "In the past, someone told my wife that there was something interesting on YouTube," revealing that he learned about it through his wife. When asked if he had met the person, Yoon explained, "I have met with my wife."
Yoo asked whether Yoon sought advice from this person when he retired as Prosecutor General or during the Park Geun-hye administration’s state affairs manipulation scandal. Yoon explained, "Hundreds of people told me to quit being Prosecutor General," and "President Park Geun-hye was not even able to be investigated." When Yoo pointed out that the figure named Cheongong claimed to be Yoon’s mentor and suggested that Yoon should file a defamation suit, Yoon replied, "Can’t it be seen as a joke?" and added, "Since the interview came out, I have not contacted or met him, saying this is not right."
Additionally, Yoo asked about the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case and what Yoon would do if his wife was involved. Yoon responded, "That’s impossible," and retorted, "A team several times larger than the Daejang-dong investigation team investigated for a year and six months, and nothing came out, did it?"
Yoo also referenced a column from a media outlet, sarcastically asking, "Have you seen the article saying that if the investigation doesn’t reveal the truth now, it will end up like the DAS case during Lee Myung-bak’s era?" Yoon retorted, "I have been a public official for 26 years, avoiding money, so why would you say such things?"
In his closing remarks at the debate, Yoon expressed displeasure, saying, "I deeply regret that defamatory discussions took place."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
