Opposition, "How Can Such Coincidences Keep Happening?" Urges Statement
Lee and Choi Deny Allegations as "Baseless and Groundless Smear Campaign"
[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-chul] Amid the rapid spread of controversy over the 'emperor protocol' involving Kim Hye-kyung, spouse of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, new allegations have emerged that Lee, during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, engaged in a 'cross-hiring' of relatives with Choi Dae-ho, mayor of Anyang.
Both Lee and Mayor Choi's sides have firmly denied the allegations, while opposition parties are urging them to clarify their positions and remain skeptical.
On the 3rd, Kim Jin-tae, Chairman of the People Power Party's Special Committee for Public Verification of Lee Jae-myung's Corruption (Chairman of the Chuncheon Gap Party Committee), targeted Lee on social media, opening with, "Have you ever heard of 'cross-hiring' of relatives?" and emphasized, "In life, all sorts of things happen, but such allegations are being raised in Seongnam and Anyang."
He then presented the basis for the 'cross-hiring' allegations surrounding Lee.
Kim stated, "Lee Jae-myung, mayor of Seongnam, had his brother-in-law (his younger sister's husband), Mr. Kwak, move from Seongnam to Anyang in November 2011, and three months later, in February 2012, he was hired as a building maintenance worker at Anyang City Hall (estimated competition rate 16 to 1)."
He added, "Two years later, Mr. Kwak was hired as a driver at the Anyang Facilities Management Corporation (estimated competition rate 8.5 to 1), and Mr. Kwak's wife, Lee Jae-ok (Lee Jae-myung's younger sister), was hired to the building maintenance worker position at Anyang City Hall that Mr. Kwak had vacated."
He further explained, "Choi Dae-ho, mayor of Anyang, had his brother-in-law, Mr. Dan, hired as a permanent contract worker at the Seongnam Cultural Foundation in July 2012, and he is currently serving as a Grade 7 employee."
It is known that Lee Jae-myung signed a policy agreement with Choi Dae-ho during the 2018 Gyeonggi Province gubernatorial election and visited Anyang as his first field visit after winning the election.
Kim urged, "If there are any inaccuracies among these claims, I hope Lee Jae-myung will clarify them," and directly challenged the candidate, saying, "If these are true, I am curious how such coincidences and luck happen consecutively. I look forward to hearing what excuse will be made this time."
Meanwhile, at a briefing held at the National Assembly that morning, Kim reiterated, "Allegations of 'cross-hiring' of Lee's relatives have been raised in Seongnam and Anyang, Gyeonggi Province," and claimed, "Lee's brother-in-law, who lived in Seongnam, suddenly moved his address to Anyang in November 2011 and was hired as a building maintenance worker at Anyang City Hall just three months later."
He continued, "Two years later, the brother-in-law moved again to a driver position at the Anyang Facilities Management Corporation. It is difficult to get a job even once, yet he was hired twice, and when he moved positions, Lee's younger sister took over his previous position at City Hall. How can such consecutive hirings happen in Anyang?" raising strong doubts.
Earlier, the National Public Officials Labor Union also raised similar allegations. In April 2018, the union held a press conference at Anyang City Hall, claiming that then-mayor candidates Choi and Lee, who were respectively candidates for mayor of Anyang and governor of Gyeonggi Province, had given preferential hiring to each other's relatives during their mayoral terms.
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