By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Kim Moo-sung, a five-term lawmaker of the ruling Saenuri Party, asked officials working at Cheong Wa Dae to quit drinking, citing it as an innovational measure to tighten discipline, Thursday.
Kim’s call came as the presidential office has been embroiled in controversy over former spokesman Yoon Chang-jung who allegedly sexually assaulted a 21 year-old female aide while and after drinking with her, during President Park Geun-hye’s U.S. visit.
“Taking the Yoon incident as a lesson, Cheong Wa Dae officials will have to show their firm resolution to the public and promise to abstain from drinking so the tragic incident resulting from one official’s egregious mistake will never happen again,” Kim said at a party meeting in the National Assembly.
He stressed that members of the office must perform their duties with firm determination and discipline.
“Many diplomatic experts assessed Park’s first official U.S. tour as the most successful summit in the two nations’ 60-year-old alliance. It is regrettable the Yoon scandal tarnished Park’s achievement,” Kim said.
Another long-term lawmaker Chung Ui-hwa also called on Cheong Wa Dae to prepare definitive measures to verify the credentials of those who are expected to become top ranking officials and to monitor their performance while in office.