Criticism Intensified on Premier Nominee
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
With a day to go before a hearing to confirm Prime Minister-nominee Han Seung-soo, liberal United Democratic Party (UDP) lawmakers renewed attacks against the nominee in a move to discredit him.
Rep. Suh Gab-won of the party claimed Tuesday that the nominee was involved in property speculation in past years and intentionally hid his wealth by not reporting the value of his share holdings.
The current law stipulates that candidates for particular government jobs, who are required to undergo parliamentary hearings, should disclose all their assets including shares.
Prime Minister-nominee Han dismissed the allegation, saying that the accusation was not based on fact and he would clarify the details of his position in the hearing.
Han said that he did not know until recently that nominees should report shareholdings.
Suh alleged that the nominee increased his wealth by purchasing land where large-scale government-led development plans were scheduled to take place.
``Han's family moved to a wealthy area in southern Seoul in 1977. The timing coincided with the time period when the government-led massive land use projects were set in place,'' Seo said.
The lawmaker claimed Han had purchased land and housing where the government planned to conduct new town projects.
``The nominee also did not disclose his shareholdings whose value is estimated at 160 million won as of February 2008,'' he said.
Han answered that he had no problem with his wealth accumulation.
The nominee has reported he had 2.14 billion won in net assets.
``When it comes to shares, it is nearly impossible to calculate the accurate value of the before one sells them,'' Han said in a statement.
He continued that therefore, it is not correct to claim that he intended to make his wealth sound smaller by not disclosing his shareholdings.
A two-day hearing to confirm Han's nomination will begin today.
Another UDP lawmaker claimed Monday that Han exaggerated his previous academic positions at universities in England previously.
The nominee denied it and said he had served as a faculty member at the University of York and Cambridge University in England.