Fresh allegations surface as hearings near

By Kang Hyun-kyung

With National Assembly confirmation hearings for five Cabinet nominees due next week, opposition party lawmakers began preparations, Thursday, to discredit President Lee Myung-bak’s picks.

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers are at the forefront of attacks against the minister-designates.

They disclosed fresh allegations about Yoo Yong-sook, environment minister-nominee and Suh Kyu-yong, agriculture minister-designate, shedding light on alleged ethical misconduct.

DP lawmaker Rep. Hong young-pyo raised suspicions that Yoo’s husband donated cash to a church located in an electoral district in Daegu City in 2008 where he unsuccessfully ran in the National Assembly election.

“If confirmed, the deed could be a violation of the campaign law, considering there was a case where a politician was punished after he made a 200,000 won cash donation to a church many years ago,” Hong said.

He said he knew nothing about the exact amount of the financial contribution Yoo’s spouse made. “Considering that Yoo’s total donation reached approximately 8 million won, I imagine that that of her husband could be considerably larger,” he said.

The environment minister-designate herself is under criticism for the allegedly extraordinary financial contributions to Somang Church, in Apgujeong, Seoul, where President Lee attended worship every Sunday until he was elected President in December 2007.

Citing an unnamed source, MBC reported that Yoo made a 20 million won donation to the Seoul church.

Yoo denied the allegation, saying the total amount of her donation consists of contributions to social services organizations as well as the church.

The nominee’s financial contributions have become a target of attack because of the alleged influence of the church.

High-profile politicians, including Rep. Lee Sang-deuk of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP), and business leaders attend the church in the affluent southern Seoul district.

After Lee won the presidential election, rumor had it that aspiring politicians and Cabinet ministers rushed to affiliate with the church for the sake of building networks with influential figures.

DP lawmakers indicated that Yoo might be one of the aspiring politicians who joined the church to network.

Agriculture minister-nominee Suh is under suspicion of tax evasion.

Rep. Kim Woo-nam of the DP alleged that Suh took advantage of a tax break that only full-time farmers are entitled to.

According to the lawmaker, he got a tax break on property he sold in 2002.

“Full-time farmers are entitled to tax benefits, but the nominee, who then ran a daily newspaper as a publisher, received the break,” Rep. Kim said.

The agriculture minister-designate said that he himself farmed the land, while working for the newspaper.

The parliamentary hearing for environment minister-nominee Yoo will take place next Tuesday, while that of Suh will be on Monday.

Other Cabinet minister-nominees, including finance minister-nominee Bahk Jae-wan, are also scheduled to attend their hearings next week.

The results of the hearings are not binding. Even if lawmakers conclude that nominees are not suitable for key posts, President Lee can still appoint his picks. But he will face mounting political pressure if he does so.

청문회 앞두고 장관후보자들 새로운 의혹들 제기

장관후보자들의 인사청문회가 다음주로 예정된 가운데 이들 후보자들에 대한 새로운 의혹들이 속속 제기되고 있다.

유영숙 환경장관 내정자는 기부금 의혹이 제기되었다. 민주당 홍영표의원은 유 내정자의 남편이 2008년 선거를 준비하는 과정에서 대구지역에 위치한 한 교회에 헌금을 했으며 이는 과거 비슷한 행위로 선거법 위반 처벌을 받은 정치인이 있어 선거법 위반에 해당된다고 주장했다.

김우남 의원은 서규용 농림장관 후보자가 양도소득세를 탈루했을 가능성이 있다고 주장했다. 서 후보자가 상속 받은 땅을 매각할 당시 농작물 재배에 종사하는 사람에게만 주어지는 면세혜택을 받았다는 것.

땅 매각 당시 서 후보자는 신문사 사장으로 재직중이었다고 김의원은 주장했다.