Blue House, Directly Responds to Allegations of 'Designer Daughter Working'... "Can You Work with Someone You Don't Know?" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Amid revelations that the daughter of First Lady Kim Jung-sook's regular designer is working at the Blue House, the Blue House moved on the 1st to block suspicions, stating, "Would we work with someone we don't know?"

Shin Hye-hyun, deputy spokesperson of the Blue House, stated, "She is an employee working at the residence where the President and First Lady reside. Would we work with someone we don't know at all?"

Earlier, TV Chosun reported that the daughter of Ms. A, a regular designer for the First Lady, is working at the Blue House as an administrative officer equivalent to grade 6, raising suspicions of 'preferential hiring.'

In response, Deputy Spokesperson Shin rebutted, saying, "She was recommended as a trustworthy person with expertise in the relevant work and was contracted through proper procedures," and requested, "Please refrain from groundless speculation."

Park Soo-hyun, Chief of Public Communication at the Blue House, also appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' that day, saying, "This is going too far. The Blue House has many contract administrative officers like this," and added, "For contract positions requiring expertise, it is naturally done through procedures equivalent to public recruitment, but for other contract hires, recruitment can be made through recommendations."

Although hired through recommendation without public recruitment, there is no legal issue. Chief Park said, "Not only the Moon Jae-in administration's Blue House but any Blue House has no choice but to do so, and I do not agree why this should be considered a special case and receive such attention."