Democratic Party and Basic Income Party Demand National Audit on 18th
Request Investigation into Presidential Office Relocation and Private Hiring Practices
Jin Seong-jun, Senior Deputy Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 29th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Jin Seong-jun, the senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, explained on the 19th the background of demanding a national audit to investigate allegations related to President Yoon Seok-yeol’s office and residence, as well as private recruitment, stating, "There is a saying circulating that the number one in the power hierarchy is First Lady Kim Geon-hee, number two is Minister Han Dong-hoon, and number three is President Yoon Seok-yeol."
Deputy Floor Leader Jin appeared consecutively on CBS and TBS broadcasts that day to explain the background of the demand for the national audit made the previous day. He said, "(The current government) is making personnel appointments that are completely incomprehensible," and added, "If we do not sound the alarm on these issues now, a situation may arise where problems that could have been stopped with a hoe cannot be stopped even with a plow." During the Choi Soon-sil political scandal, there was also a widely circulated remark from former police superintendent Park Kwan-cheon during the prosecution investigation that "Choi Soon-sil was number one in the power hierarchy, Jung Yoon-hoe was number two, and President Park Geun-hye was only number three."
The previous day, 173 participants including members of the Democratic Party, the Basic Income Party, and some independents demanded an investigation into the security gaps related to the relocation of the presidential office to Yongsan, the related budget, the circumstances of the move, and called for an inquiry into the private recruitment of presidential office staff.
Regarding allegations related to First Lady Kim Geon-hee, Deputy Floor Leader Jin said, "Connections formed through private activities such as Kobana Contents are now leading to hires around the presidential office or contracts being awarded for public works, aren’t they?" On allegations of state intervention involving figures like Geonjin Beopsa, he said, "If Geonjin Beopsa is engaging in such acts, he should be summoned, strongly warned, and dealt with, rather than advising companies to be cautious of that person."
On suspicions surrounding the sole-source contract for remodeling the presidential residence, he said, "It is very suspicious," adding, "The selection of the remodeling company for the residence was done through a sole-source contract. From the bidding announcement to the award announcement, only three hours passed." He explained, "According to the National Contract Act, even for urgent construction, the announcement must be made five days before bidding," but "this was done in just three hours." Deputy Floor Leader Jin said, "Coincidentally, this company has sponsored several exhibitions of Kobana Contents, the company where First Lady Kim was the CEO," and added, "Why did this company, which has a private connection with the First Lady, win the contract for this urgent construction through a sole-source contract and complete it in an unprecedentedly short time? This raises public suspicion."
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