Park aide ignores calls to attend audit

By Yi Whan-woo

Woo Byung-woo, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, attends a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. / Yonhap

Woo Byung-woo, the scandal-plagued civil affairs secretary for President Park Geun-hye, failed to attend a National Assembly audit session for presidential affairs, Friday, despite repeated calls from lawmakers to publicly address suspicions surrounding him.

Even the head of the ruling Saenuri Party, Rep. Chung Jin-suk, was angry.

Chung, who also chairs an Assembly committee in charge of the session, asked Cheong Wa Dae to take measures to make him appear at the session “at the earliest possible time.” If he keeps hiding, Chung warned that the Assembly would adopt a motion to force Woo to take the stand.

Woo earlier submitted a written statement to the National Assembly, saying he was unable to attend the session due to his official duties.

However, opposition parties have criticized Woo for ignoring calls to explain multiple corruption allegations.

Presidential chief of staff Lee Won-jong, who was present at the audit, said he will go over the case thoroughly and report to lawmakers concerning Woo “at the appropriate time.”

Some Saenuri Party lawmakers defended Woo, claiming that due to the nature of his work, it was customary for a senior presidential secretary for civil affairs to be absent at the parliamentary hearing.

The opposition parties have been stepping up pressure on Woo.

They said it will be “in line with the law” to force Woo to take the stand and reveal the truth about snowballing corruptions surrounding him.

“The committee should approve the motion and force Woo to be present,” DPK floor leader Woo Sang-ho said.

Calling Woo’s refusal “unacceptable,” minor opposition People’s Party floor leader Park Jie-won asked the presidential office to verify whether the President ordered him not to testify. Park has been criticized for not dismissing Woo.

Floor leader Park raised fresh allegations that several senior officials at the National Intelligence Service (NIS) have been “reporting directly” to Woo without consulting NIS Director Lee Byung-ho.

Some political sources speculated that the House Steering Committee can summon Woo without endorsement from the Saenuri Party, pointing out that half of its 28 members are from the opposition parties.

At least one third of the committee members are required to issue a motion against Woo.

Woo is under prosecution investigation after facing multiple allegations, including asking online gaming company Nexon Korea to buy real estate owned by his in-laws, helping his son get special treatment during military service and providing secret legal counsel to a jailed businessman.