Kim Moon-soo Also Sets Facebook Posts to Private
Opposition Criticizes as "Attempt to Erase Traces"
Kim Moon-soo, the nominee for Minister of Employment and Labor, reportedly earned about 500 million won in revenue over four years through operating the YouTube channel 'Kim Moon-soo TV,' which had previously sparked controversy for its 'far-right and offensive remarks,' according to Rep. Lee Yong-woo of the Democratic Party on the 9th.
Kim Moon-soo, nominee for Minister of Employment and Labor, is answering reporters' questions on the 1st at the Seoul Gangnam Employment and Labor Office, where the hearing preparation office is located. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Rep. Lee, a member of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee, analyzed Kim's annual income certificates and found that Kim reported a total business income of 509.48 million won from 2019 to 2022. The breakdown by year is as follows: ▲2019 - 207.3568 million won, ▲2020 - 1429.39462 million won, ▲2021 - 108.90515 million won, and ▲2022 - 56.922051 million won.
Rep. Lee stated that the Ministry of Employment and Labor explained that Kim's income was "due to operating the YouTube channel."
Kim opened the YouTube channel 'Kim Moon-soo TV' in December 2018 and ceased its operation in September 2022 after being appointed chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Council, a presidential tripartite dialogue body. The channel has been no stranger to controversy. During the 2020 21st general election, Kim said, "It is very unfortunate that the Sewol ferry disaster has become a sacred cow," and in 2022, targeting striking cargo workers, he said, "A bomb of damages is the best remedy for illegal strikes," adding, "The longer civil lawsuits drag on, the more the workers' families are ruined."
Rep. Lee criticized, "Kim is truly an icon of offensive remarks, repeatedly making anti-labor and far-right statements," and said, "Nominating such a person as minister to handle South Korea's labor policy is an insult to all working citizens."
He also said, "Kim deleting his channel means he intends to erase his past and deceive the public," adding, "He should restore all videos and undergo thorough verification before the public. If he lacks confidence, I hope he returns to his original profession as a YouTuber."
Kim has also made most of his Facebook posts private. In February, he wrote that former President Park Geun-hye was "impeached without fault," and in May last year, he shared an article containing a conspiracy theory that union officials were complicit in the self-immolation of construction worker the late Yang Hoe-dong, who protested government investigations into the construction union. This allegation was proven false by police investigations.
Rep. Lee criticized Kim's Facebook privacy settings, saying, "After his far-right and anti-labor remarks caused controversy, he started erasing traces," and urged, "He should make his Facebook posts public and undergo a fair personnel screening by the National Assembly."
Kim submitted a revised asset declaration to the National Assembly the day before. He initially declared about 872 million won in assets under his and his spouse's names but corrected the amount to approximately 1.042 billion won by adding about 170 million won in deposits under his spouse's name.
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