Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.
Rep. Kim criticized for remarks on China
By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Kim Jin-tae
By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Kim Jin-tae was embroiled in controversy over his remarks that could be construed as degrading China while referring to the alleged fabrication of Chinese government documents by the prosecution and spy agency.
Kim of the ruling Saenuri Party said, “There have been cases that some undeveloped countries tried to back out, when problems arose as to the documents their governments issued.”
He added, “I am not pointing at China in particular though.”
He made the remarks during a radio interview about the recent response from the Chinese Embassy to Seoul that travel records for Yoo Woo-sung, which have the seals of the government of Helong, a city in northeastern China, were not genuine.
The prosecution, after obtaining the records from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), submitted the records to a Seoul appellate court to prove that Yoo, a North Korean defector employed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, worked as spy in Seoul.
Opposition lawmakers and critics said Kim’s remarks could be read as him belittling Beijing.
The conservative lawmaker continued to produce what the opposition says are “absurd” remarks on the alleged forging of the Chinese documents, apparently trying to protect the prosecution and NIS.
He said there is a possibility that China is trying to protect Yoo, as he is an ethnic Chinese.
“Beijing could see a necessity to protect its native person,” he said, indicating that the embassy is possibly lying about Yoo’s travel records between the North and China, in order to protect him.
The first-term lawmaker added that Beijing, an ally of North Korea, could have had “some intentions” at a time when it gave the records to Seoul’s diplomatic mission.
“So, the country could have submitted different documents intentionally,” said Kim.
The main opposition Democratic Party lashed out at the lawmaker.
“We could not believe our ears when Kim said so. The ruling party needs to make an official apology to the Chinese government immediately.”