By Kim Hyo-jin
Opposition parties launched an attack against the ruling camp, Tuesday, over suspicions surrounding the Mir and K-Sports foundations during the National Assembly audit.
The government audit resumed Tuesday following a week-long deadlock caused by the ruling Saenuri Party’s boycott, with the opposition parties zeroing in on what they call a “power-related corruption” scandal.
“We will focus on raising questions about the issues involving the Mir and K-sports Foundations during the remaining audit sessions,” said Rep. Woo Sang-ho, the floor leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK).
“Lawmakers in the legislation and judiciary committee will show how they were illegally established; those in the economy-related committees will investigate the background of raising donations from conglomerates for them; and those in the education, culture, sports and tourism committee will ferret out possible cases of their enjoying privileges in government projects.”
Choi Sun-sil, a 60-year-old woman linked to the President, was reportedly involved in the creation and management of both foundations. Choi is the daughter of a deceased mentor to President Park and ex-wife of Park’s former close aide Jeong Yun-hoe.
Media reports and opposition lawmakers said conglomerates “donated” about 80 billion won ($71.8 million) through the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) to the foundations over the past year — a large amount in a short period time and a rare event in their history. The MPK claimed Park’s aides at Cheong Wa Dae might have used their influence to coerce the donations.
The controversy was fueled by the recent news that the FKI is seeking to disband the foundations and create a new one merging the two. An official at the FKI said Tuesday the group plans to submit a request to the government for the new foundation by this week at the earliest.
The opposition parties ramped up their offensive against the FKI, calling it a move to “conceal evidence” regarding the scandal.
“Many are collectively and swiftly working on hiding evidence regarding the power-related scandal. We have warned the FKI that it should stop such an illegal move,” Woo said during a party floor meeting.
Rep. Ki Dong-min, an MPK spokesman, pushed further, calling for the disbanding the FKI.
“The FKI has been downgraded to a government channel to raise funds from conglomerates. We should reform the group that remains as a collusive link between politics and business,” Ki said during a press briefing.
Opposition lawmakers raised additional suspicions over the troubled foundations, insisting that they have enjoyed benefits in government projects.
Rep. Jo Seoung-lae argued that a Taekwondo demonstration team, K-spirit, picked by the K-sports Foundation, accompanied the President’s trip to Iran and Africa in May, beating other established teams even though it was unheard of back then.
Earlier in the day, Reps. Choi Gyung-hwan and Yoon Young-il of the minor opposition People’s Party took issues with the fact that the Mir Foundation was noted as a major subject of a development project on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between South Korea and Iran.
The MOU was signed between public housing developer LH Corp., steelmaker POSCO E&C, and Iran’s sovereign fund on Park’s official trip to Tehran, after they agreed to build a complex in Iran where content from the Korean Wave will be displayed.
“It is exceptional that a private organization is a major subject in an MOU,” Choi said in a press conference. He added that the Mir Foundation was chosen without going through a public contest to be involved in the project.
The lawmakers said they will look into the matter in the audit by the land infrastructure and transport committee today.
The audit of government offices is scheduled to last until Oct. 19.