Song Jiyong, Chairman of Jeonbuk Provincial Council, Faces Scrutiny Over Repeated Verbal Abuse and Power Abuse

Simple Greeting Requested at Samrye-eup Village Chiefs Meeting... Chairman Song's "Interference with Legislative Activities" Verbal Abuse

Power Trip Against Council Secretariat Chief Over Protocol Issues...Suspected Cover-up with "Let's Let It Go" Dismissal

[Jeonju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho] Song Ji-yong, chairman of the Jeonbuk Provincial Council, has recently come under fire for repeated verbal abuse and power harassment.

He was reported to have verbally abused public officials at a recent local event and, after raising issues about protocol, hurled insults and verbal abuse at the council's administrative director, causing a growing scandal.

According to Wanju County on the 23rd, Chairman Song attended the Samnye-eup village chiefs' meeting held at the Samnye-eup Administrative Welfare Center on the 19th of this month and verbally abused the eupjang (town mayor) immediately after the event.

At that time, the Samnye-eup office requested Chairman Song and others to simply greet the attendees verbally to avoid any controversy regarding violations of the Public Official Election Act, as many candidates for the county governor in next year's local elections were present at the village chiefs' meeting.

Following this, Chairman Song reportedly raised his voice in the eupjang's office after the meeting, saying, "You are obstructing the council member's legislative activities," and "Take responsibility," showing anger.

It is also known that he hurled insults at the eupjang during this process. Currently, the Samnye-eup eupjang is one year senior to Chairman Song in high school.

Both the Samnye-eup eupjang and the deputy eupjang denied the allegations of any insults in a phone interview with the reporter. However, Samnye-eup staff and residents who were present testified that they heard the insults.

Earlier, on the 10th, Chairman Song was reported by the media to have verbally abused and exerted power harassment below common decency toward the council's administrative director over protocol issues during a visit to a council staff member's business.

Chairman Song did not apologize for over ten days after the verbal abuse and power harassment but reportedly called the involved party on the 22nd and tried to smooth things over by saying, "Let's cover this up and move on."

Meanwhile, the reporter attempted to contact Chairman Song for his stance on these verbal abuse and power harassment incidents and left text messages, but he did not respond.

Instead, he visited the Jeonbuk Provincial Council press room that day and claimed there were "no insults or verbal abuse" related to the council's administrative director controversy. He also explained, "However, as the workload increased, I may have become sensitive and raised my voice."

Jeonju=Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho stonepeak@asiae.co.kr