Lee Joo-hwan: "39 People from Moon Administration Appointed to Environment and Labor Ministry Subordinate Agencies"

Lee Joo-hwan "39 People from Moon Administration's Camcorder Personnel in Environment and Labor Ministry Affiliated Organizations"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Lee Joo-hwan, a member of the People Power Party, stated, "Personnel appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration, known as 'Camcorder (Camp·Code·Democratic Party of Korea)' figures, are still entrenched in institutions under the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Employment and Labor."

Lee, a member of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee, said on the 12th, "As a result of a full investigation into 'parachute' executives appointed during the Moon Jae-in government within institutions under the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Employment and Labor, out of a total of 274 standing and non-standing executives across 24 institutions, 39 people (14.2%)?23 from the Ministry of Environment and 16 from the Ministry of Employment and Labor?are still in office even after the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration."

Lee added, "Among those currently working are 14 people from the Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administration Blue House, 13 people who were aides to Democratic Party lawmakers, party officials, or affiliated with pro-Democratic Party organizations and election camps, 7 candidates who ran in general and local elections, and 5 people from civic groups that led the anti-Four Major Rivers Project movement. It was found that the basic salaries they received by the end of June this year (excluding performance bonuses and allowances) amounted to 1.44 billion KRW."

Lee pointed out, "There have been cases where public institution heads appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration faced controversies over morality and professionalism. For example, Shin Chang-hyun, president of the Metropolitan Landfill Management Corporation under the Ministry of Environment, was involved in controversy as some employees reportedly took leave or resigned due to verbal abuse and unfair work instructions."

He continued, "There are cases where personnel who differ from the current government's national philosophy still hold their positions. Park Jae-hyun, a professor at Inje University who led the anti-Four Major Rivers Project movement during the Moon administration, is currently serving as president of the Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Lee Jun-kyung, chairman of the Korea River Restoration Network, an environmental group opposed to the Four Major Rivers Project, is also serving as a non-standing director at the Water Resources Corporation."

He also said, "Jeong Hyun-gon, former Blue House Secretary for Civil Society Affairs under Moon Jae-in, has a history of being punished for violating the National Security Act due to his activities as a leader of a pro-North Korean organization, and co-authored the controversial 2010 book 'Questioning the Cheonan Incident,' which raised suspicions about the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan."

He stated, "While there may be talented individuals with expertise among those appointed by the previous administration, the persistence of parachute executives who lack professionalism and qualifications and whose views greatly differ from the new government's national philosophy is problematic. Since controversies over appointments of heads of major public institutions recur with every regime change, institutional improvements such as the introduction of a 'Korean-style Plum Book' are urgently needed."