[Anchor]
During the parliamentary audit of the National Assembly's Climate and Labor Committee, controversy mounted over alleged "parachuting" appointments of figures belonging to the so-called "Gyeonggi-Seongnam line" close to the president. The opposition claimed that unqualified individuals took head positions at public institutions simply for being confidants of the president, while the ruling party pushed back, calling it a political offensive.
Ha Jeong-yeon reports.
[Reporter]
Yesterday (October 15), during the parliamentary audit by the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee.
People Power Party lawmakers cited Nam Gwang-woo, head of the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, Ha Dong-geun, president of the Korea District Heating Corporation, and Jang Geon, chairman of the Construction Workers Mutual Aid Association, raising suspicions of "parachuting appointments."
They questioned whether these figures had risen to the heads of public institutions without proper qualification vetting simply because they belong to the so-called "Gyeonggi-Seongnam line," and took issue with their refusal to submit personnel documents such as self-introduction letters.
[Kim Gi-hyeon / People Power Party Lawmaker: "If you have that level of expertise and an outstanding career, you could submit them proudly. Yet you did not rank first in anything (in document screening or interviews)."]
Director Nam graduated from the same Chung-Ang University College of Law as President Lee Jae-myung and served as secretary-general of the Seongnam Citizens' Gathering. The People Power Party claimed that Nam was appointed despite placing "third in the document screening and second in the interview," alleging there must have been personnel meddling.
President Ha, a former head of the Seongnam Cultural Coalition, is also known to have officiated the wedding of Kim Hyun-ji, head of the First Presidential Annex Office. Controversy arose over the fact that he was appointed despite receiving the lowest scores in both the document review and interview stages.
Chairman Jang is a figure who served as co-representative of the Seongnam Citizens' Coalition for Participatory Governance.
[Na Kyung-won / People Power Party Lawmaker: "It is suspected that Annex Chief Kim Hyun-ji and former Chief Jeong Jin-sang (close aides to President Lee Jae-myung) intervened in personnel affairs..."]
At the audit, Director Nam stated that he did not submit the documents due to privacy and personal reasons.
[Nam Gwang-woo / Head of Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute: "There was some personal information, and there were also matters related to privacy..."]
Targeting the People Power Party, the Democratic Party urged an end to political attacks and defended Director Nam.
[Lee Geon-tae / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "(Director Nam) stated that he would comply with whatever the National Assembly decides. Shifting all responsibility onto the witness by nitpicking like this is..."]
Yesterday's parliamentary audit was temporarily suspended before resuming, after which Director Nam belatedly submitted documents including his self-introduction letter.
(Camera: Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing: Yu Mi-ra)
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