Kang Jeonae: "Choi Minhee Should Step Down as Science and Technology Committee Chair," Kim Junil: "Public Opinion Has Turned Very Negative" [Current Affairs Show]

"You should apologize, but there are many problems in how it's being handled"
"Even if the money was returned, the crime is still established"
"Choi Minhee supported Jung Chungrae during the last party convention"

■ Broadcast: The Asia Business Daily's 'So Jongseop's Current Affairs Show' (Monday to Friday, 4 PM)

■ Host: Political Specialist So Jongseop ■ Director: Producer Lee Kyungdo

■ Guests: Former People Power Party Spokesperson Kang Jeonae, Current Affairs Commentator Kim Junil (October 29)

So Jongseop: The controversy surrounding Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Minhee (Chair of the Science, Technology, Information, and Broadcasting Communications Committee, abbreviated as the Science and Broadcasting Committee Chair) continues. This time, reports have emerged that Choi's daughter indicated on her social media that she was married in August last year. Assemblywoman Choi said she would clarify after the national audit. What is your perspective on this?

Kim Junil: Since her daughter's Facebook shows that the wedding took place on August 14 last year, that must be correct. Looking at various facts and circumstances previously reported, was it May last year? The application for Sarangjae was submitted in May last year, but it was rejected.

So Jongseop: So she applied to hold her daughter's wedding there and was rejected?

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Choi Minhee, Numerous Issues in Handling the Situation-Even Democratic Party Leadership Is Frustrated

Kim Junil: So they tried again and were selected in the Sarangjae by-election. Logically, if they had succeeded last year, the wedding would have been held then. Interpreting this charitably, many National Assembly aides or lawmakers' children choose the National Assembly's Sarangjae because it is affordable, scenic, and carries the authority of the National Assembly. Perhaps that was the intention, or perhaps it was really about maximizing congratulatory money. Honestly, I do not know. But how can suspicions from others be prevented?

Overall, this is inappropriate. Once it came out, there should have been an apology, but the way it was handled seems even more problematic. Suddenly, quantum mechanics is mentioned, then she says she learned the wedding date via YouTube, then immune T cells come up, then the Roh Moo-hyun spirit... The controversy keeps growing because of her own posts. If she had simply apologized, the issue could have been resolved, but by continuing to reproduce the controversy herself, even the Democratic Party leadership is now quite frustrated.

Kang Jeonae: If the wedding shoot was in August this year, it would be possible to marry a couple of months later, but it has been over a year and now it is the national audit season. As you mentioned, is it really necessary to have the wedding at the National Assembly's Sarangjae? Also, I do not understand why Chief Spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said, "Let those without sin cast the first stone." He also said he lacked the courage to return the money. Such comments only aggravate public sentiment.

Park Soo-hyun has a moderate and gentle image, so I do not see why such remarks were necessary. Assemblywoman Choi says she will explain after the national audit, but this is not an issue related to the audit-it's a personal matter. There is no need to delay. Perhaps she is thinking that if another controversy arises, this one will subside. There is precedent for this. Our People Power Party is planning to file a complaint for violating the Kim Youngran Act or for bribery, and there is a Supreme Court precedent from 2013.

So Jongseop: What does that precedent say?

On the 23rd, at the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee's audit on the Korea Broadcasting System and the Broadcasting Media Communications Deliberation Committee, Kang Jang-gyeom, a member of the People Power Party, is speaking. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Even If 1 Million Won Is Returned, the Established Crime Remains

Kang Jeonae: The case involved a Grade 5 civil servant working at the Labor Office. This person sent wedding invitations to their supervisory agencies and received congratulatory money of about 50,000 to 100,000 won. The Supreme Court ruled this was a bribe. From the perspective of the supervised agencies, there could be concerns about disadvantages if they did not give congratulatory money, and giving money could establish a relationship. Even amounts as low as 50,000 or 100,000 won were confirmed as bribes by the Supreme Court. So, even if 1 million won is returned, returning it may be considered a mitigating factor during sentencing, but it does not erase the established crime. That is why there are suspicions that Assemblywoman Choi intentionally let herself be photographed while returning the money.

Kim Junil: Now, there are even calls within the Democratic Party for a full investigation, but I think it is time to stop such investigations. They have never been effective. The Choi Minhee case should be concluded as Choi Minhee's responsibility. The problem is that it was excessive. She got married last year but held the ceremony during this year's national audit, giving strange explanations...

From a political perspective, considering the party, I wonder if continuing to post on Facebook and fueling the debate is the right approach. Many within the Democratic Party view this as extremely selfish behavior.

Kang Jeonae: Whether or not invitations were distributed is no longer the issue, because the media had already widely reported on the online wedding invitation and the card payment option before the ceremony. For the institutions under the Science and Broadcasting Committee's oversight, this caused a stir. They must have made inquiries about the date and location. That is why there were 100 flower wreaths. Even though she did not inform anyone, 100 wreaths arrived. The public finds it hard to believe that with 100 wreaths, only that much congratulatory money was received.

Democratic Party lawmaker Minhee Choi, who sparked controversy due to her daughter's wedding during the national audit period, is seen on the 26th at the National Assembly plenary session viewing Telegram messages related to congratulatory money. Photo by Yonhap News

So Jongseop: Only part of it was disclosed, right?

First, She Should Step Down as Science and Broadcasting Committee Chair

Kang Jeonae: That's right. The public thinks so, but Chair Choi Minhee has yet to provide a detailed explanation. In any case, this issue needs to be addressed. Lawmakers and high-ranking officials inevitably have family events while in office. Therefore, the process of making financial transactions transparent should be institutionalized. This incident has become so large, and Assemblywoman Choi has only amplified suspicions about herself. This is a serious matter. Ultimately, an investigation is needed, but first, she should step down as Science and Broadcasting Committee Chair.

So Jongseop: What should we make of the Democratic Party leadership's stance on the continuing controversy over Assemblywoman Choi Minhee?

Choi Minhee Has Become Deeply Unpopular-Even Yongsan Views the Situation Negatively

Kim Junil: Publicizing that Representative Jung Chungrae called her is, in my view, a kind of exit strategy. The tricky part for Representative Jung is that during the recent party leadership election, most lawmakers supported Park Chandae. Among those officially or unofficially in Jung Chungrae's camp, Choi Minhee was one of the few, along with Jang Kyungtae and Kim Hyun.

So, the question is what to do with someone who supported him. I have heard that even in Yongsan, there is a negative view of this matter and a sense that it has been blown out of proportion. There is talk that after the national audit, the situation will be reviewed and she may be replaced as committee chair. It may not be easy for her to continue as Science and Broadcasting Committee Chair. For the People Power Party, this is a huge political opportunity. They are even planning to file a complaint with the Euljiro Committee. Assemblywoman Choi Minhee has become extremely unpopular, and public opinion has turned very negative.

Kang Jeonae: There have also been gaffes by senior government officials and Democratic Party members. For example, Vice Minister Lee Sangkyung issued a two-minute apology on YouTube, which only made things worse. In this context, Assemblywoman Choi Minhee's case resonates even more with the public. The country is facing tough times, and the public cannot accept that people in such positions not only fail to support the party but also refuse to step down from their posts.