MBC Releases Text Messages Between Local Hospital and Kim's Office Aide
Kim Byungki: "Posing as a Whistleblower"... Reveals Profanity-Laden Chatroom
The conflict between Kim Byungki, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and his aides is escalating into a war of accusations. Following suspicions that Floor Leader Kim received an expensive meal from former Coupang CEO Park Daejun ahead of this year's parliamentary audit, further allegations have emerged regarding preferential treatment for his second son's university transfer, the provision of Korean Air hotel vouchers and airport protocol for his family, and special privileges for hospital treatment. Assemblyman Kim has counterattacked by releasing inappropriate conversations exchanged in a group chatroom called 'Yeouido Matdori' among his aides, and the mudslinging continues.
According to MBC on the 25th, additional allegations have been raised that Floor Leader Kim's family received preferential treatment at a general hospital located in his constituency.
An aide from Assemblyman Kim's office sent the resident registration number and other personal information of Kim's eldest son to the administrative director of Boramae Hospital in November last year, stating, "He needs to receive treatment at Boramae as soon as possible." In response, the administrative director replied, "A referral letter is not necessary, and treatment is available today. If you can come a little earlier than 1:30 p.m., we can arrange for you to be seen first without waiting."
Earlier, in April 2023, the same aide notified the deputy director of Boramae Hospital about Floor Leader Kim's spouse's ophthalmology appointment, stating, "The assemblyman is very concerned, so I would appreciate your special attention." The deputy director also replied, "I will ask the ophthalmology professor once again to ensure there are no inconveniences."
Regarding this, the aide stated, "I acted on the instructions of Assemblyman Kim and his wife, and his wife personally sent me the eldest son's resident registration number and other personal information," thereby raising suspicions of preferential treatment for hospital visits.
Floor Leader Kim has also faced allegations that, in September, he mobilized aides and a district council member for personal reasons during his second son's university transfer process. Additionally, it was revealed that he received a meal from a Coupang executive ahead of this year's parliamentary audit. Furthermore, it came to light that his family used the most luxurious room at the Jeju Seogwipo KAL Hotel for two nights with an invitation provided by Korean Air.
In response, Floor Leader Kim stated on his Facebook page that day, "The informant is presumed to be a former aide I worked with in the past, who is now posing as a whistleblower with cunning rhetoric." He also released screenshots of Telegram chatroom conversations, which were the direct reason for the dismissal of the former aides.
He explained, "On December 4, 2024, the day after the illegal martial law incident, I discovered a secret chatroom called 'Yeouido Matdori' created by six aides," adding, "Behind their insincere smiles, they mocked the insurrection, secretly photographed a female district council member and made sexually harassing comments, and used language so harsh that it is difficult to repeat, attacking me and my family."
Floor Leader Kim continued, "On December 9, I notified the six aides of their dismissal," stating, "It was not due to personal discord, but because I personally confirmed conversations that, as Democratic Party aides, were utterly unacceptable in both words and actions, and which trampled on the minimum standards of human dignity and decency."
He added, "Although all responsibility lies with my own shortcomings, I cannot accept the simplistic narrative that the former aides are absolute victims and I am the absolute perpetrator, nor the distorted story that frames them as the weak and me as the strong," declaring, "I will no longer hide."
Floor Leader Kim emphasized, "The words, requests, and help exchanged in mutual trust at that time have now been distorted as 'abuse of power.' They secretly recorded conversations with me and are now indiscriminately releasing them, skillfully mixing facts with distortions and falsehoods."
Nonetheless, he stated, "If my conduct failed to meet the standards and expectations of the public, I take full responsibility," and added, "As a public official, I will reflect on myself and ensure that such mistakes are not repeated."
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