Park Hyungsu: "Personnel vetting failed from the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs"
Toward nominee Kim Minseok: "Sufficient grounds for resignation"
On unconstitutional party controversy: "It was Yoon, not the party, who declared martial law"
On June 13, the People Power Party stated regarding the resignation of Oh Gwangsu, Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs, over allegations of borrowed-name loans and other suspicions, "President Lee Jaemyung must personally apologize for the failure in personnel verification and the complacent response, and promise that such incidents will never happen again."
People Power Party's Park Hyungsu, Senior Deputy Floor Leader, is holding a press briefing on current issues at the National Assembly on the 13th. Photo by Yonhap News
Park Hyungsu, Senior Deputy Floor Leader of the People Power Party, held a press briefing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, that morning and said, "The Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, who is responsible for all personnel verification, failed in the vetting process," adding, "The failure itself is a problem, but an even bigger issue is the indifferent response from the presidential office when the suspicions first arose."
Immediately after his appointment, Senior Secretary Oh faced allegations of borrowed-name loans and real estate management under borrowed names. He offered his resignation the previous day, and President Lee accepted it that morning. This marks the first case of a high-ranking official stepping down under the Lee Jaemyung administration.
Park also addressed Kim Minseok, the Prime Minister nominee who is facing allegations of financial dealings with an illegal political fund provider, stating, "Even the suspicions raised so far are sufficient grounds for resignation," and added, "We plan to strongly point this out during the confirmation hearing and will also demand his resignation."
He continued, "This administration, which cannot even properly appoint a Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, has zero integrity, yet last night appointed three special prosecutors," and said, "From the very appointment of the special prosecutors, clear political bias is evident, and it shows that the purpose of the special prosecution is to suppress the opposition and carry out political retaliation."
He further added, "If the special prosecution proceeds as predicted, with investigations aimed at suppressing the opposition and political retaliation, the People Power Party will not stand by and watch."
Regarding the request made the previous day by 16 two-term lawmakers from the People Power Party to hold a general assembly before the election of the new floor leader on June 16 to discuss party reform measures, Park said he would convene the assembly if a formal request is submitted.
He explained, "I spoke with Kwon Youngjin, who led the meeting of two-term lawmakers, and according to our party's constitution and regulations, if more than one-tenth of the lawmakers request it, a general assembly must be held. I told him that if a request is submitted, we could hold it as soon as today," adding, "However, the request has not yet been submitted."
Regarding concerns both inside and outside the political sphere about the possible dissolution of the party as an unconstitutional entity, he said, "The requirements for dissolving an unconstitutional party are stipulated in the Constitution and the law, and it can only occur if the party's objectives and activities violate the basic democratic order," asking, "Has the People Power Party's objectives or activities ever violated the basic democratic order?"
Park emphasized, "Some may argue that martial law was a violation, but it was not the party that did it; it was former President Yoon. If the party is held responsible simply because former President Yoon held party membership, that would be collective guilt. Such a legal interpretation is unacceptable."
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