Various 'Setech' Allegations Related to Daughter and Wife
Controversy Over Hiring Wife as Reporter and Defending Sex Offender Against Minors
Democratic Party: "Not Only Should They Not Be the Corruption Investigation Office Chief, They Should Be Investigated by the CIO"
At the confirmation hearing for Odongwoon, the nominee for the head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HOCIO), scheduled for the 17th, opposition lawmakers are expected to focus their attacks on controversies surrounding the 'dad chance' and 'husband chance' involving Odongwoon's daughter and wife, as well as his history of defending sex offenders against minors.
Additionally, questions are likely to arise regarding Odongwoon's political neutrality and lack of investigative experience, given that during his time as a judge he disguised his identity to donate to politicians from the Uri Party (now the Democratic Party of Korea), and his involvement in the progressive-leaning judges' group, the International Human Rights Law Research Association, whose first chairman was former Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo.
Odongun, candidate for the head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Questions are also expected about his stance on the opposition's push for a special prosecutor regarding allegations of external pressure on the investigation into the death of Chae Sang-byeong, which is currently under investigation by HOCIO.
The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee will hold the confirmation hearing for Odongwoon from 10 a.m. that day.
During the hearing, a flood of questions is anticipated concerning various allegations involving Odongwoon's daughter and wife.
Odongwoon's eldest daughter, Ms. Oh, at age 20 in August 2020, received a gift of 350 million KRW from Odongwoon and purchased approximately 18 pyeong (about 59.5 square meters) of land and a building in Sujeong-gu, Seongnam City, from her mother, Ms. Kim, for 420 million KRW. The land owned by Ms. Oh is slated for a large apartment complex of over 3,000 households under the 'Sanseong District Housing Redevelopment Project.'
Odongwoon maintains that there is no legal issue since Ms. Oh paid gift tax on the money she received, but critics argue that the property was gifted to his child before the real estate price increase to reduce taxes, a practice known as 'tax planning.' Ms. Oh, born in 2000, is currently known to be a student.
In July 2021, Odongwoon paid 30 million KRW as a deposit for Ms. Oh's rented room and only later, after being nominated as HOCIO chief, issued a loan confirmation. Odongwoon stated that the lease contract was necessarily made in Ms. Oh's name to protect the deposit, but he expected to be reimbursed the 30 million KRW from her once the lease expired.
Furthermore, from August 2020 until last year, Ms. Oh worked part-time at law firms Ain, Samwoo, and Yulseong, where Odongwoon's judicial training school classmates were employed, earning 37.48 million KRW. It was revealed that she was hired without official procedures such as job postings and without a written labor contract, sparking controversy.
Regarding Odongwoon's wife, Ms. Kim, who worked at the law firm Geumseong where Odongwoon is affiliated and received over 200 million KRW in salary, suspicions have been raised about disguised employment aimed at tax reduction. According to documents submitted by Odongwoon to a lawmaker's office, Ms. Kim was hired as a manager responsible for driving Odongwoon's vehicle at Geumseong Law Firm from January 1, 2018, to October 31, 2019. After resigning in 2019, she rejoined in 2021 and received nearly 200 million KRW over four years: 54.02 million KRW in 2019, 37.8 million KRW in 2021, 53.7 million KRW in 2022, and 54.24 million KRW in 2023. It is estimated that including 2018's salary, her total earnings exceeded 200 million KRW. There are also suspicions that she did not sign a labor contract upon rejoining in 2021 and only did so a year later in 2022.
Odongwoon's profile confirms that from January 2018 he served as a National Tax Review Committee member at Seongdong Tax Office and from April 2019 as a tax law advisor at Incheon Regional Tax Office. This raises doubts about whether Odongwoon, an expert in tax matters, used his family to engage in tax avoidance.
In response, Odongwoon previously stated, "After my daughter became a university student, she gained social experience and developed independence by working part-time as an office assistant at several law firms introduced by me, and my wife actually worked supporting litigation and office tasks." Recently, he explained that his spouse was hired as a driver because "she strongly requested it."
Odongwoon's past record of defending sex offenders has also become a point of controversy.
In 2018, Odongwoon defended a defendant accused of luring four children aged 9 to 12, whom he met through mobile game chats, to lodging facilities and committing sexual crimes including rape and attempted inducement to sexual intercourse. Odongwoon claimed that his defense focused mainly on procedural and legal issues, but it was revealed that the defense team, including Odongwoon, argued for acquittal on the grounds that the victims had consented, which sparked criticism. Ultimately, the defendant was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Supreme Court.
More recently, Odongwoon represented a defendant in the second trial who was sentenced in the first trial to three years in prison with a four-year suspended sentence for forcibly molesting his 12-year-old stepdaughter. Odongwoon argued that the victim's mother fabricated the molestation allegations to gain advantage in divorce and property division lawsuits. However, the appellate court rejected this defense and dismissed the appeal.
Regarding Odongwoon's past, ruling party members are also expected to attack his political neutrality.
While serving as a judge in March 2004, Odongwoon reportedly donated 3 million KRW to Lee Geun-sik, a candidate from the Uri Party running for the National Assembly in Seoul Songpa-byeong, listing his occupation as 'self-employed.' The Court Organization Act prohibits judges from engaging in political activities.
Additionally, Odongwoon was active in the International Human Rights Law Research Association, a progressive judges' group, from 2013 to 2017. This association, whose first chairman was former Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo, is considered the successor to the Uri Law Research Association, a group of judges with a particular political orientation within the judiciary.
Moreover, during the hearing, questions are expected about politically sensitive ongoing investigations by HOCIO, including the 'external pressure on the investigation into the death of Chae Sang-byeong,' and Odongwoon's stance on introducing a special prosecutor. Although Odongwoon, who has never conducted an investigation before, stated he would appoint a deputy with investigative skills, questions challenging his qualifications as head of an investigative agency are anticipated, citing the precedent of Kim Jin-wook, the first HOCIO chief, who was also a former judge.
Typically, in confirmation hearings, opposition members strongly attack the nominee while ruling party members defend them. However, in the case of HOCIO, the People Power Party initially opposed its establishment, and President Yoon Seok-yeol held a negative view of HOCIO to the extent of attempting to bypass its briefing during the presidential transition period. Therefore, it is uncertain whether ruling party lawmakers will actively defend Odongwoon.
On the other hand, the Democratic Party, which strongly pushed for HOCIO's introduction to check the prosecution, has announced pointed questioning, stating, "Given the revealed issues, Odongwoon is unqualified to be HOCIO chief and should be subject to investigation if he is a current public official," and "Is the nomination of an unqualified candidate an intentional move to neutralize the hard-won HOCIO?" However, they also face the dilemma that forcing Odongwoon out could prolong the vacancy in the HOCIO leadership.
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