New allegation hits foreign minister nominee
By Choi Ha-young
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Kang Kyung-wha
Foreign Minister nominee Kang Kyung-wha faces a new allegation that her former subordinate at the United Nations has been involved in her daughter’s business.
Rep. Lee Tae-kyu of the People’s Party claimed a U.N. staffer surnamed Woo, who worked for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva under Kang’s supervision, invested 40 million won ($35,590) in a firm owned by Kang’s eldest daughter Lee Hyun-ji.
Woo’s older brother also invested 20 million won in the firm. Last year, Kang’s daughter established the company dealing with imported wine and cheese. The 60 million won from the Woo family accounted for 75 percent of the initial capital.
“Then-U.N. staff member Woo became intimate with the Kang family including her daughter, while staying in Geneva from 2007 to 2013,” a foreign ministry official said. “Keeping in touch with Woo, Lee Hyun-jin founded the company in cooperation with the Woo brothers.”
The official added most of the invested money remained in a bank account, since the company has not yet started doing business.
On her way to work Tuesday, Kang told reporters she was not engaged in her daughter’s business.
As President Moon Jae-in’s Prime Minister-designate Lee Nak-yon is expected to get the National Assembly’s confirmation Wednesday following the concession of the People’s Party, Kang is likely to become the next target of the opposition parties’ political offensives.
After being tapped May 21, she has faced growing suspicions of corruption ― false residence registration and belated payment of gift taxes. Her two daughters paid 2.3 million won each in gift tax, two days after the nomination, for homes that they purchased with Kang’s money.
She also drew flak for giving a false explanation about her past wrongdoings. When Cheong Wa Dae appointed her, the presidential office revealed she falsely registered her family’s address as a relative’s home, so her oldest daughter could attend Ewha Girl’s High School in 2000.
As her nomination was widely seen as a symbol of breaking the glass ceiling, public sentiment was positive, as the irregularity was rampant back in the day and was not considered a serious illegality. The career diplomat’s outstanding communication skills in the U.N. and forward-looking understanding on human rights were highly evaluated.
However, Rep. Cheong Yang-seog of the conservative Bareun Party exposed Sunday that the residence actually belonged to the school’s then-principal. “She even lied in addition to registering a false residence. We will urge her to explain during the hearing,” Cheong said, heralding a tough way ahead.
The largest opposition Liberty Korea Party has called for her resignation. “Kang’s untruth disobeys public expectation for the Moon administration,” party spokesman Jeong Yong-ki said Tuesday in a statement.
Regarding the stir, the nominee said she was unaware of the owner of the home. “I will give a detailed account of the stir at the hearing,” Kang said. The Assembly’s confirmation hearing is slated for next month.