"Official Letter Sent Immediately After National Audit" Criticism
"No Letter Sent to Lim Young-woong... Causes Hierarchy and Ranking"
Incheon Airport CEO Explains "Prepared Before National Audit"
Lee Hak-jae, President of Incheon International Airport Corporation (second from the left), is responding to questions from lawmakers during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit on Incheon International Airport Corporation, Korea Airports Corporation, Aviation Safety Technology Institute, and National Aviation Museum held at Incheon International Airport Corporation in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, on the morning of the 22nd. Photo by Airport Photographers Group [Image source=Yonhap News]
Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) has come under scrutiny after announcing plans to implement a 'celebrity-only entrance,' with allegations that it attempted to evade the National Assembly audit through a sly maneuver.
On the 24th, Jeonyongi, a member of the Democratic Party, stated at the comprehensive audit held at the National Assembly, "IIAC sent an official letter titled 'Request for Cooperation When Artists Depart' to entertainment agencies immediately after the audit, stating that a 'celebrity-only entrance will be provided and should be used." He pointed out, "During the entire audit, when issues like 'excessive security' and 'emperor-style security' were raised, there was no response, but as soon as the audit ended, this matter quietly surfaced." The IIAC audit by the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee took place on the 22nd.
Jeonyongi continued, "The public cannot help but feel a relative sense of deprivation (due to the celebrity-only entrance), and it could even lead to the ranking and class division among celebrities." He added, "Small agencies were not even included in the recipients of the official letter. Looking at the recipients, it was mainly large agencies." He further criticized, "The letter was not sent to 'Mulgogi Music,' which represents Lim Young-woong. Does that mean Byun Woo-seok is allowed but Lim Young-woong is not? I don't know how such criteria were made, but sending the letter immediately after the audit shows a disregard for the National Assembly." Maeng Sung-kyu, chairman of the Land Committee, also criticized, "Is it acceptable for lawmakers to only find out about this after going home and watching the news?"
In response, Lee Hak-jae, president of IIAC, explained, "There is a misunderstanding. The 'designation of a celebrity-only entrance' was a point raised by Kwon Young-se, a member of the People Power Party, during the recent National Assembly audit. After the Byun Woo-seok incident, there were criticisms that the separation of entrances was not properly implemented, and this matter was being prepared." He added, "We had been preparing continuously before the audit but could not implement it earlier," and emphasized, "This was not an attempt to give special treatment to celebrities to avoid the audit."
Earlier in July, during actor Byun Woo-seok's departure process, private security guards arbitrarily controlled the airport entrance, causing inconvenience to passengers and sparking controversy over 'emperor-style security.' In response, IIAC recently sent an official letter to entertainment agencies stating that "a new procedure will be established to allow celebrities and other famous individuals to use a dedicated entrance, which will be implemented starting on the 28th."
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