'Hit Handonghun' Kim Daenam "Burden on Company and Party-Government"
Handonghun "Legal Action if Necessary"
Ruling Party Calls Ethics Committee to Start Investigation
National Assembly Selects as Witness for Audit
On the 7th, Kim Dae-nam, former Deputy Secretary for Citizen Communication at the Presidential Office, who is suspected of having instructed left-wing YouTubers to attack Han Dong-hoon, a candidate for the People Power Party leadership during the July 23 party convention, resigned from his position as a standing auditor at SGI Seoul Guarantee Insurance.
Yu Jeong-hwa, Kim's legal representative, told Asia Economy on the morning of the same day that Kim had "expressed his intention to resign" when asked about his resignation. This is interpreted as Kim feeling pressured after the People Power Party launched a fact-finding investigation and announced plans to consider legal action amid intensified criticism from opposition parties.
Kim's side stated, "In a situation where numerous suspicions and speculations are rampant, we do not want to burden the company and the party government, and we want to be free from this position to resolve the suspicions."
Earlier, the left-wing YouTube channel Seoul's Voice released an audio file in which Kim was heard saying during a call with an affiliated YouTuber, "First Lady Kim Keon-hee is trying to die because of candidate Han," and "If we plan well this time and hit (Han Dong-hoon), the First Lady will be pleased."
After the release of the YouTube video, the People Power Party launched an investigation including an audit of Kim and announced that it would not hesitate to take legal action. Subsequently, Kim apologized and left the party, stating that the incident "started from a malicious approach disguised as intimacy for the purpose of devilish editing."
At the People Power Party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the same day, Representative Han criticized, "The People Power Party is an inclusive party, but that inclusion is based on minimum discipline. The actions of Kim Dae-nam or related parties are unacceptable," adding, "Our party does not tolerate collusion with extremist and malicious forces like Seoul's Voice to attack our party members."
He continued, "Some say, 'Let's overlook it since it's not a big deal.' I think those who think so are accustomed to old-fashioned politics," and reiterated, "We will restore discipline. We will conduct necessary audits and take legal action if needed."
The People Power Party convened the Ethics Committee at 11 a.m. on the same day and began a fact-finding investigation into the allegations related to former administrative officer Kim.
The National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee and the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee also plan to summon former administrative officer Kim as a witness at the national audit to question him about the related suspicions.
Handonghun, the leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@
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