DPK floor leader shields LKP ex-floor leader from hiring irregularity allegations
Rep. Hong Young-pyo, left, the floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), shakes hands with Rep. Kim Sung-tae, then floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) at the National Assembly in this Dec. 21 file photo. / Korea Times file
By Park Ji-won
Rep. Hong Young-pyo, the floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has become protective of Rep. Kim Sung-tae, his former counterpart of the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), over Kim's alleged hiring scandal involving his daughter.
When asked whether to launch an Assembly investigation into the alleged hiring irregularities connected to Kim, Hong told CBS during a radio interview Friday that “It is hard for me to do so. We need to fact-check first on the matter.”
“Former LKP floor leader Rep. Kim Sung-tae is denying the allegation. We cannot say we will launch an Assembly investigation into the case now unless we find grounds or there is something missing during related discussions.”
Hong's remarks came after he said he would launch an Assembly investigation into hiring irregularities including Kim's case Thursday. Political parties are discussing details after they have agreed last month to launch a National Assembly investigation within December into hiring irregularities at public firms.
Critics point out Hong's remarks are also aimed to protect President Moon Jae-in's son Moon Joon-yong. Kim accepted the investigation of his daughter's hiring process to prove his innocence while calling for an investigation into Moon's son's hiring case as well. Opposition parties have raised suspicions during presidential election campaigns in 2012 and 2017 about alleged hiring irregularities regarding Moon's son, saying he received special treatment in the hiring process when he got a job at the Korea Employment Information Service in 2006.
The local newspaper Hankyoreh raised an allegation Thursday that Kim meddled in the hiring process of a private-turned-public company to have his daughter employed at KT Corp., a telecom company, by using his power as a lawmaker. He flatly denied the report, saying she got the job without his help, but people continue to raise suspicions against him.
On Friday, DPK spokeswoman Rep. Kwon Mi-hyuk also defended Hong's remarks by releasing a statement that reverses what Hong said earlier. “Hong was answering reporters' questions without knowledge of reports related to Kim's daughter,” Kwon said.
The minor opposition parties went all-out to criticize the DPK for defending the LKP, calling it “political collusion.” The minor opposition Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) and progressive Justice Party already made it clear they will push for an Assembly investigation into allegations regarding hiring processes for Kim's daughter.
Rep. Choi Gyung-hwan, vice floor leader of the PDP, said “The DPK is not coming forward to deal with (the scandal) due to their political collusion with the LKP.”
Choi Suk, spokesman of the Justice Party, also criticized the DPK, saying: “The government established based on the candlelit revolution is doing politics under the influence of power rather than rooting out corruption.”
Choi added: “I am not sure how much the DPK owed the LKP, but the DPK will not clean up corruption nor seek justice based on the present attitude.”