Independent Assemblyman Park Deok-heum (center) is talking with Rep. Kim Seong-won (left) and Kim Ungyeong at a personnel hearing for candidate Han Jeong-ae, Minister of Environment of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee. yunhap news
Rep. Park Deok-heum, who caused controversy over a conflict of interest by winning orders of hundreds of billions of won by family-run companies from the audited organization, threw inquiries about civil complaints from local districts several times at the personnel hearing of the Minister of Environment. On the 20th, the Environmental Labor Committee of the National Assembly held a personnel hearing for the candidate of Environment Minister Han Jeong-ae. The opposition lawmakers of the Hwannowi continued inquiries about recent controversial climate and environmental events and policies that the government is focusing on, such as carbon neutrality in 2050, the opening of the four major rivers, not guilty of humidifier disinfectant, and the outflow of tritium at the Wolseong nuclear power plant. However, Congressman Park’s inquiries focused on the contents of his local district, Okcheon-gun, Chungbuk. In particular, the remarks that Daecheong Lake, adjacent to Okcheon-gun, is subject to excessive regulations. Rep. Park continued inquiries at the morning hearing that the water supply sanctuary around the Daecheong Lake should be reduced, and at the hearing resumed in the afternoon, asking for the deregulation of Daecheong Lake-related regulations. At the site of verifying the qualifications of the candidates for the Minister of Environment, they requested the removal of regulations that have prevented environmental destruction. Candidate Han Jeong-ae responded to Congressman Park’s inquiries in principle, saying, “I will carefully examine it.” Currently, the area around Daecheong Lake is subject to seven regulations, including special measures for water quality conservation, waterfront areas, total water pollution rate, and natural environment conservation areas. There are voices among residents calling for deregulation, saying that the economic loss in the surrounding area is large, but environmental groups and others are concerned about film development and deterioration of water quality due to deregulation. An environmentalist activist said, “The name is the Environmental Labor Committee, and at the hearing of the Minister of Environment, Rep. Park Deok-heum even puts a petition to reduce the area pending Daecheong Lake Water Supply Protection Area. This was a question of ineligibility to the extent that Chairman Hwan-no should have been held back.”
Rep. Park Deok-heum. yunhap news
Meanwhile, In September of last year, family construction companies won orders for hundreds of billions of billions of won from an audited organization while Park was a member of the National Assembly’s Land Transport Commission. <한겨레> It has been known for its reports and has been controversial. Citizens’ groups accused Congressman Park of alleged bribery and other charges to the police and prosecution. Rep. Park, who belonged to the power of the people at the time, left the party in this case and is now independent. By Kim Min-je, staff reporter [email protected]