Same name, different party
Rep. Kwon Eun-hee
Rep. Kwon Eun-hee of the governing Saenuri Party made an unusual request to the media to distinguish herself from a lawmaker with same name in the rival New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).
“The recent series of reports and its titles have brought about confusion between myself and a person with the same name,” Kwon of said. “I sincerely request clarification and distinction in the future.”
As a representative of the North Daegu-A constituency, home to a majority of conservatives, the ruling party’s lawmaker says that she has been getting unintended complaints from local residents, thinking that she is the Kwon from the rival party.
Kwon of the Saenuri Party explained that she had received flower baskets and cards sent specifically for Rep. Kwon of the NPAD, congratulating her on winning the by-election for the Gwangju-B constituency. Gwangju is also known to have a heavy population of liberals, supporting the opposition coalition.
“Somebody called in and shouted at me in anger, asking what in the world was happening,” Kwon of the Saenuri Party said, referring to a resident of Daegu.
Kwon specifically asked that journalists include an indication of the affiliated party when mentioning their names, by stating “Kwon of the ruling party”’ or “Kwon of the opposition alliance” in their articles and reports.
Kwon of the main opposition NPAD has been the subject of a lot of controversy regarding the party nomination system, especially following the July 30 by-elections, which won NPAD’s Kwon a seat even after constantly expressing that she had no intention of running in the by-elections.
Kwon of the NPAD had served as the chief of criminal investigation for the case of National Intelligence Services’ public poll meddling, as a whistleblower about a police attempt to cover up the state intelligence agency's meddling in the 2012 presidential election.
Similar incidents have taken place in the past, such as with Kim Young-ju of the Saenuri Party and Kim Young-ju of the NPAD. Kim of the ruling party was stripped of his position due to a violation of the Public Official Election Act.