Lee Jae-myung on Opposition's 'Daejang-dong' Data Request: "It's Like a Father-in-Law Rummaging Through His Daughter-in-Law's Kitchen"

Demand to Disclose Annual Leave Details Met with "The National Assembly Has No Authority to Audit Local Affairs"

Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, who was elected as the 20th presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the 'Meeting between Party Leadership and Democratic Party Presidential Candidate' held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 11th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, rebutted the People Power Party's criticism that Gyeonggi Province has been passive in submitting materials related to the Daejang-dong scandal for the National Assembly audit, saying, "Is it common sense that the Daejang-dong materials would be with Gyeonggi Province?"

Earlier that morning, People Power Party lawmakers from the Political Affairs Committee, the Public Administration and Security Committee, and the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee visited the Gyeonggi Provincial Office and Seongnam City Hall. They protested, claiming that Gyeonggi Province's submission of materials for the National Assembly audit scheduled for the 18th and 20th was insufficient.

After meeting with the Democratic Party's standing advisory group at the National Assembly on the 13th, Lee told reporters, "(People Power Party lawmakers) seem to have come to Gyeonggi Province because the materials were not submitted," adding, "The Daejang-dong related project materials belong to Seongnam City, so they cannot be with Gyeonggi Province at all. If they are, we will certainly cooperate."

Regarding the People Power Party's demand to disclose details of annual leave, he said, "It's absurd. The National Assembly has no audit authority over such local affairs."

He continued, "Those who make laws must abide by them and not break them," and likened the situation to "a father-in-law going to the house of a child who has moved out and rummaging through the daughter-in-law's kitchen affairs."

Meanwhile, the People Power Party has been demanding disclosure of Lee's annual leave records, arguing that his participation in the party's primary caused a governance vacuum. On August 27, Jeon Ju-hye, the party's floor spokesperson, issued a statement saying, "Gyeonggi Province refused to disclose the annual leave usage details requested by People Power Party lawmakers, citing privacy," and pointed out, "Among the governors of the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces, Gyeonggi Province is the only one that has not disclosed leave records."

Jeon further argued, "Considering the Democratic Party's presidential primary schedule, Lee inevitably had to travel frequently within the province, which could cause a governance vacuum," and added, "If he is absorbed in the presidential election schedule, the damage will fall squarely on the residents of Gyeonggi Province."