Lee Jae-myung "I Don't Even Remember the Personnel Procedure for Yoo Dong-gyu"

Candidate Lee Jae-myung Attends Land Transport Committee Audit on the 20th
"If He Had That Level of Competence, He Would Have Been Made President"

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate and Governor of Gyeonggi Province, is attending the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit of Gyeonggi Province held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on the 20th, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] On the 20th, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, said "I don't remember" when asked about the appointment procedure of Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Facilities Management Corporation, during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee’s audit of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government.

When Lee Jong-bae, a member of the People Power Party, asked at the audit held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government on the same day, "Did you intervene in Director Yoo's appointment?" Lee replied, "This was something that happened more than ten years ago," and explained as such.

Lee said, "I don't remember who had the authority to appoint the director of the Facilities Management Corporation or how the personnel decision process went," adding, "I had no reason to intervene, and if I had the authority, I would have signed off on the personnel decision."

When Lee Jong-bae asked again, "Did you ever instruct to hire former Director Yoo?" Lee answered, "I don't remember," and said, "I wouldn't have done anything illegal, but I can't recall the personnel procedure itself."

Also, when Lee Jong-bae asked about the relationship with former Director Yoo, saying, "Former Director Yoo told residents that what I say is what Lee Jae-myung says," Lee responded, "If Yoo Dong-gyu had that level of capability, I would have appointed him as president..."

When Lee Jong-bae later asked if he had appointed him as president, Lee said, "This is not about the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization," and added, "If at that time I had really given Yoo Dong-gyu authority to lead development proactively, I would have appointed him as president."