Na spent far less than reported for skin care

By Lee Hyo-sik

Police said Monday that Na Kyung-won, the defeated Seoul mayoral election candidate from the ruling Grand National Party, spent 5.5 million won ($4,900) last year at a skincare clinic in southern Seoul, not 100 million won as claimed by liberal Internet journalists.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said investigators looked into medical treatment records and payment receipts confiscated from the clinic during a police raid in December.

“We found that Na visited the hospital with her daughter 10 times in 2011 and spent a total of 5.5 million won for skincare treatments,” a police officer said. “We also found the clinic allows a customer to spend only up to 30 million won per year, and no more than that.”

Before the election on Oct. 26, it was alleged that Na was a member of the clinic and paid annual fees of 100 million won for beauty treatment. The allegation spread quickly especially after reporter Choo Chin-woo of SisaIN mentioned it in a popular podcast show “Naneun Ggomsuda,” or “I’m a petty trickster,” which is specialized in ridiculing President Lee Myung-bak and the ruling party.

After losing the election, Na filed a complaint with the police against seven people including Choo for spreading a false rumor. Na admitted to using the clinic but denied she had a membership there.

The officer said investigators have not yet decided whether to summon Choo and the two other SisaIN reporters who were the first to report the allegation for questioning.