Na Kyungwon Criticizes President Lee’s "Money Is the Devil" Remark: "Could There Be a More Hypocritical Scene?"

Lee Emphasizes Integrity in Special Lecture to Grade 5 New Public Officials
Criticism: "What Lesson Can Be Learned While His Own Trial Is Halted?"

Na Kyungwon, a member of the People Power Party, criticized President Lee Jaemyung for his remarks to newly appointed public officials about integrity, in which he said, "Money is the devil." Na commented, "Could there be a more hypocritical scene than this?" On the 14th, Na wrote on her social media (SNS), "Is it appropriate for the ruling party's president, who wields cruel power like a fan, to be saying such things? He has sought to halt or dismiss his own trials, shaken law enforcement agencies, pushed for legislation to dismantle the prosecution, and even tried to tame the judiciary."

Na Kyungwon, Member of the National Assembly. Na Kyungwon Facebook

She then questioned, "What kind of lesson can the new public officials really learn?" and pointed out the current political situation, saying, "From this week, confirmation hearings for ministers of the Lee Jaemyung administration are being held one after another. However, the nominees are not only immoral but are also tainted with various criminal allegations." She continued, "Individuals with levels of immorality and criminal suspicion that would make even a recommendation impossible under a conservative administration are now trying to occupy key government positions under the current administration. The ruling party has declared that it will push ahead with these appointments," adding, "This is because the president and the prime minister themselves have already destroyed the baseline for morality and law-abiding awareness."

She further stated, "This is not just a lack of moral awareness?it is moral bankruptcy," emphasizing, "Integrity must be proven not with words, but through one's own actions." Finally, Na reiterated her criticism, saying, "If the president truly wants to talk about ethics in public office, he should sincerely participate in his own criminal trials first," and, "He should also reestablish the standards for appointments to match the expectations of the public and common legal sense."

Earlier that day, President Lee delivered a special lecture to participants in the "Grade 5 New Manager Training Course" at the National Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province. Addressing the new public officials, he said, "Public officials must be clean and honest. This is a matter of fundamentals." President Lee emphasized, "I have been subjected to all kinds of slander and attacks, being labeled as a corrupt person, which has created an image of 'What kind of person is he?' But in reality, I have managed my life with utmost rigor." Sharing anecdotes from his time as mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi Province, he said, "Money is the devil. But it never appears with the face of a devil; rather, it shows up as the most beautiful angel, friend, relative, or lover."