"Billions Going Back and Forth... Decline in Job Diligence"
Cheon Haram, the chairman of the People Power Party's Jeonnam Suncheon-gap district, referred to Kim Nam-guk, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea at the center of the '6 billion won coin' controversy, saying, "There are parts that violate the duty of diligence of a member of the National Assembly," recalling the 'aunt controversy' during the confirmation hearing of Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon.
On the 10th, Cheon said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' program, "I wonder if we should criticize Representative Kim this much, but now I somewhat understand the previous aunt controversy," expressing this view.
At Minister Han's confirmation hearing in May last year, Representative Kim caused controversy by interpreting 'Professor Lee Mo (某)' as 'aunt (mother's sister),' which may be the result of being too absorbed in coin investment to focus on his duties.
Cheon said, "You see tens of billions going back and forth, so how important is Minister Han's confirmation hearing now? Because of that, the diligence in his duties actually decreases, and controversies like the aunt issue arise."
He added, "For members of the National Assembly, especially in the case of coins, which are a new form of investment and market, I think there is no problem if they want to know about it or experience it and try it with a small amount. However, in the case of Representative Kim, tens of billions are going back and forth, and the level of investment is almost like putting all of his assets into it."
Lee So-young, the floor spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, also pointed out that "setting aside specific facts for now, if a member of the National Assembly does not focus on their duties and instead looks at the price of their stocks (coins) every day, it is indeed not in line with the public's expectations," criticizing the inappropriate attitude.
When Representative Kim's 6 billion won coin investment became controversial, he defended himself by mentioning former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok's coin investment. In response, Chairman Cheon said, "Since former leader Lee has never been an active member of the National Assembly, there is no possibility of conflict of interest," and added, "Former leader Lee used an automated trading program where he set up a program to sell when the price rises above a certain level and buy when it falls. Unlike Representative Kim, who caused the aunt controversy, it is not a structure that requires much attention."
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