Dispute Over 'Kim Ki-hyun's Ulsan Territory' in Previous Assembly... Kim Requests Verification from Election Commission

Hwang "Power-type construction corruption obvious to anyone"
Kim "Baseless slander, suspicion"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The presidential candidates of the People Power Party are launching relentless attacks over candidate Kim Ki-hyun's 'Ulsan land.' Kim's campaign team has requested sanctions and verification from the Election Commission against candidates Ahn Cheol-soo and Hwang Kyo-ahn, who raised related suspicions.

On the 20th, Kim's campaign headquarters (CHQ) stated, "Regarding the baseless slanders and suspicions from candidate Hwang's side about the 'Ulsan KTX Station~Samdong road plan,' we officially requested the party's Election Commission Clean Election Subcommittee to promptly verify this matter today."

In a statement distributed that day, candidate Hwang said, "At the 2007 project initiation report, Kim's land was not a subject of route review," adding, "In October, a route with a tunnel entrance on Kim's land was proposed, and at the November 30 interim report, the route through Kim's land was changed to the basic route. Anyone can’t help but suspect a power-driven construction corruption scandal." He urged, "Candidate Kim Ki-hyun should stop lying and resign immediately."

The suspicion that candidate Kim altered the KTX route to pass through his own land in Ulsan was first raised in 2021 by Yang Yi-won-young, a member of the Democratic Party, but was brought back into the spotlight when candidate Hwang mentioned it during the first TV debate on the 15th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Candidate Ahn, at a joint speech event for Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam on the 16th of this month, said, "In the TV debate, candidate Kim Ki-hyun failed to properly answer about candidate Hwang’s Ulsan KTX station area speculative profit issue," and pointed out, "If Kim Ki-hyun becomes party leader, he will not be able to judge the Democratic Party’s Daejang-dong corruption scandal in next year’s general election. He must properly explain the 1,800-fold profit."

In response, candidate Kim rebutted, "This is an absurd falsehood and an issue that was thoroughly investigated during the Democratic Party administration," adding, "During the national audit two years ago, Democratic Party lawmakers investigated whether there was any corruption suspicion, and the result proved no charges. It would be better not to continue such groundless attacks."

Also, Kim’s CHQ sent an official letter to the Election Commission requesting strict measures, stating that candidate Ahn’s remarks clearly violate the party’s rules for electing the party leader and supreme council members, specifically 'candidate slander, black propaganda, and personal attacks.'

Meanwhile, former leader Lee Jun-seok mocked candidate Kim’s remark in the TV debate that "I offered Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Yi-won-young to take this land at a 90% discount, but there has been no taker yet. I will offer candidate Hwang at 95%," saying, "I want to buy it even if I have to borrow money. A 95% discount purchase chance." Candidate Kim commented on former leader Lee’s remark, saying, "I don’t think it’s worth responding."