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| Rep. Na Kyung-won, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), speaks during a party meeting in front of Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday, calling for President Moon Jae-in to make a statement on an opinion rigging scandal involving his key aide Kim Kyoung-soo, the governor of South Gyeongsang Province. / Yonhap |
By Park Ji-won
The opposition parties are stepping up their pressure on President Moon Jae-in after his long-time confidant, South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo, was convicted of opinion rigging during the 2017 presidential race.
Raising allegations of Moon's possible involvement, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) held a party meeting near Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday, to demand an explanation from the President.
"It has been proven that there was a large-scale opinion rigging in the presidential race," LKP interim leader Kim Byong-joon said.
LKP floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won said, "President Moon should take political responsibility for this and offer a public apology."
Na said Moon should come forward to answer questions about Kim, who was a key campaigner for Moon, and reveal whether he was aware of his involvement in opinion rigging.
On Wednesday Kim, who had been considered a possible contender for the next presidency, was sentenced to two years in jail and immediately taken into custody for working with Kim Dong-won, a blogger better known by the nickname Druking, to manipulate the number of "likes" on online political comments. This was to boost positive public sentiment during the presidential campaign for Moon, then the candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).
Kim is one of Moon's closest political allies having served as spokesman and chief secretary for him in 2017. Kim and Moon had worked together at the presidential office under the Roh Moo-hyun administration as a secretary and senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, respectively. After Roh's death, Kim lived in Roh's hometown Bongha, Gimhae in South Gyeongsang Province to work for Bongha Foundation and Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.
He has been considered one of the prospective presidential candidates in the ruling camp along with Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.
Na also asked for answers from Moon over other political allegations relating to the DPK and Cheong Wa Dae citing the alleged illegal surveillance claim made by Kim Tae-woo, a former Cheong Wa Dae special inspector; and former DPK lawmaker Sohn Hye-won's possible land speculation.
The minor opposition Bareunmirae Party also asked Moon to make a public apology and called on the governor to resign.
Meanwhile, LKP Rep. Yeo Sang-kyoo, chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, claimed, "The President has not done anything during his presidency to merit indictment, but his closest aide did so in helping to elect Moon. It therefore appears there is enough material to launch an investigation into Moon."
The LKP also criticized the DPK saying it was ignoring the independence from political power and violating the Constitution.
Na said "The DPK's moves in criticizing an independent judge and forming a taskforce aimed at eliminating corruption is dangerous. It is ignoring the Constitution that is independent from political power."
Na added that the DPK should apologize first rather than talk about corruption.
Meanwhile, the DPK expressed disappointment over the court decision, saying it was political blowback from supporters of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae who was arrested for his alleged interference in court cases to curry favor with the Park Geun-hye administration.
Rep. Hong Young-pyo, floor leader of the DPK said Wednesday, "It is hard to accept the decision based on common sense. The ruling, which should be made based on law, became a means of self-protection and retaliation."
DPK spokeswoman Rep. Lee Jae-jung, who visited Kim at the Seoul Detention Center, Thursday, said the party expressed strong regret over the decision and was sure of his acquittal on appeal.
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