During a parliamentary hearing held yesterday (July 30) by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee targeting the Korea Football Association (KFA), a high-ranking KFA official's attitude in answering questions has sparked controversy.
Yesterday afternoon, People Power Party lawmaker Cho Eun-hee questioned Moon Jin-hee, the KFA Referee Committee Chairman who appeared as a witness, regarding suspicions of illegal election campaigning.
Previously, allegations arose that Moon attempted vote-buying by demanding support for candidate Chung Mong-gyu from multiple referee evaluators in exchange for favors regarding referee promotions and match assignments.
Upon receiving the question, Moon showed a discontented attitude and retorted how someone who was unemployed could do such a thing.
[Moon Jin-hee / KFA Referee Committee Chairman: I was just hanging around at home, traveling all over the country, and that's my story.]
Moon's attitude continued during the process of answering questions from Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Kim Jae-won, ultimately drawing severe rebukes.
[Kim Jae-won / Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker: Sit up straight. Answer politely. I've been watching how you've been acting while other lawmakers were speaking since earlier.]
[Moon Jin-hee / KFA Referee Committee Chairman: No, the lawmaker gets to speak and I'm not allowed to speak?]
[Kim Jae-won / Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker: This is the hall representing the will of the people.]
[Moon Jin-hee / KFA Referee Committee Chairman: Then lower your voice a bit.]
When a Democratic Party lawmaker joined in amid the heated atmosphere to take issue with his attitude, Moon argued back with one hand tucked in his pocket.
[Moon Jin-hee / KFA Referee Committee Chairman: Don't you chime in there, since this morning.]
Moon, who had been raising his voice, fell silent when faced with unfavorable evidence concerning himself.
When a recorded conversation was revealed in which Moon told a referee evaluator, "He is someone we used to serve," Moon consistently feigned ignorance.
[Choi Min-hee / Democratic Party lawmaker: 'It's the same for me, and it's the same for the Chairman, he's someone we used to serve.' Who are you talking about when you say 'someone we used to serve'?]
[Moon Jin-hee / KFA Referee Committee Chairman: I am not very familiar with the records being shown right now.]
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Whiyoung stated that the Ministry will conduct an audit into all allegations, including the suspected illegal election campaigning by Moon, who was appointed as the KFA Referee Committee Chairman immediately after Chairman Chung Mong-gyu's election.
(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News)
Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Eui-seon | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
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