[Anchor]
An official belonging to the Prime Minister's Office posed as a private citizen and asked a question to independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, leading to their identity being revealed. When Lawmaker Han questioned whether the Prime Minister's Office was conducting surveillance on an opposition lawmaker, the Prime Minister's Office explained that the official had simply asked a question in passing.
This report is by reporter Go Jeong-hyeon.
[Reporter]
This afternoon (Sept. 10) in front of the National Assembly plenary chamber where the interpellation session was being held.
The question came up while independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, who has been raising suspicions day after day regarding Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, was taking questions from reporters.
[Mr. A - Han Dong-hoon / Independent Lawmaker : (You posted on Facebook today that you would issue an investigation command to the Prime Minister, what was the intent behind posting about an investigation command?) I will direct a rigorous investigation and confirmation. (You said confirmation, confirmation.) I said I would direct it. (Yes, confirmation...) Which press outlet are you from? Which media outlet are you with? (I am a private citizen.)]
Prime Minister Han Sung-sook stated during yesterday's interpellation session that she had ordered a check on how investigative materials were leaked in connection with the suspicions surrounding nominee Kim, and the person who asked a question regarding Lawmaker Han's criticism of that as an "investigation command" claimed to be a "private citizen," but upon checks by Lawmaker Han's side, turned out to be a section chief belonging to the Prime Minister's Office.
Lawmaker Han immediately launched an offensive against Prime Minister Han through the interpellation session, stating that the section chief in question had given a heads-up and asked the question in a Telegram chatroom where Prime Minister Han was also present.
[Han Dong-hoon / Independent Lawmaker : He is the planning and general management section chief XXX at the Prime Minister's Office. Is the Prime Minister's Office conducting surveillance on an opposition lawmaker?]
Prime Minister Han acknowledged the fact that her subordinate official asked a question, but denied that it constituted surveillance.
[Han Sung-sook / Prime Minister : (The official in question) seems to have answered along the lines of, "I am just an ordinary citizen." If asking a question in a public place while passing by is considered surveillance, wouldn't all of us be under surveillance at every single moment?]
An official from the Prime Minister's Office explained, "There were many people gathered in a public place, so the public official simply went over and asked a question once; it wasn't done with any hidden intent."
(Video Shooting: Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing: Jeong Seong-hun)
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