Park Ji-won: "Who in People Power Party Can Cast Stones at Hyehun Lee... Spitting Into the Well They Drank From"

People Power Party Urges Voluntary Resignation, Apology, and Withdrawal of Nomination

Park Ji-won, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the People Power Party for its attacks on Hyehun Lee, the ministerial candidate for the Ministry of Planning and Budget.

Hyehun Lee, Ministerial Candidate for the Ministry of Planning and Budget.

On January 3, Park stated on his social media platform Facebook, "No one in the People Power Party is qualified to cast the first stone at Hyehun Lee," adding, "The People Power Party considered her clean enough to nominate her five times (for the 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd National Assembly elections), but just a few days after her ministerial nomination announcement, they suddenly treat her as if she became a politician overnight."

He then targeted the People Power Party lawmakers leading the attacks on Lee, saying, "If you took the lead in manufacturing allegations against Hyehun Lee, shouldn't you also explain whether, as aides to Yoon Suk-yeol at the time, you remained silent about the alleged misconduct of Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee, received nominations in return, and became Red Guards for the Liberty Korea Party?"

Park further commented, "This is not politics but a hammer that only sees the speck in others' eyes while ignoring the plank in their own," and added, "Hyehun Lee has apologized for her mistakes and seeks to be vetted based on her policies and abilities, so why does the People Power Party keep trying to spit into the well from which they drank?"

Meanwhile, Lee has faced controversy over a leaked phone recording from 2017, when she was a member of the Bareun Party, in which she reprimanded an intern for not immediately reporting a media article mentioning her name. The recording included remarks such as, "Is your IQ a single digit?" She also faces allegations of power abuse, including assigning personal errands, and suspicions of her spouse's speculative land investments.

Park, a five-term veteran lawmaker who is aiming for the speakership in the latter half of the 22nd National Assembly, is taking a wait-and-see approach regarding the confirmation hearing. However, some within the Democratic Party have voiced concerns that defending Lee is difficult and have called for her voluntary resignation.

Meanwhile, Choi Boyoon, the chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, criticized Lee in a statement, saying, "She has lost her qualifications as a public office candidate." He added, "The allegations surrounding Lee should have already been filtered out during the presidential office’s personnel verification process, even before the confirmation hearing," and emphasized, "These are not issues that can be covered up with explanations or apologies." Choi further stated, "The presidential office described this appointment as 'considering unity and pragmatism,' but unity cannot be an excuse for overlooking abusive language and power abuse, nor can it justify a failure in the vetting process," urging Lee's voluntary resignation and calling on President Lee Jaemyung to withdraw her nomination.