The core of the National Assembly’s personnel hearing on the candidate Park Bum-gye, held on the 25th, is morality verification. Most of the various suspicions and controversies raised after the nomination of the candidate was ▶ omission of property report ▶ conflict of interest ▶ disguised transfer and violation of traffic laws ▶ assaults, suspicions at the end of the day, and other issues directly related to morality.
Justice Minister Park Bum-gye held a hearing on the 25th
Candidate Park, don’t report property on time
Candidate Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, is answering questions from reporters while attending the office for a personnel hearing prepared in the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the morning of the 21st. News 1
① Missing property “It is a mistake vs. intentional”The fact that Candidate Park himself and his spouse’s property were not reported in time is something that even some of the passports are wondering. There are not one or two properties that are suspicious of intentional omissions, such as a forest field of 21,238 square meters in Yeongdong, Chungbuk, an apartment in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (105 square meters, for sale), a condo located in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk in the name of a spouse (5 million won), land and buildings in Miryang, Gyeongnam Come on
Candidate Park clarifies, “It was not intentional omission of report,” emphasizing that “the error of the assistant staff in charge of reporting the property” and “I immediately corrected it after knowing the fact of the omission.” However, even within the ruling party, it is pointed out that “one or two cases can be overlooked as mistakes, but even if the amount is small, it is not easy to understand” (re-elected member of the metropolitan area).
Controversy likely to continue after’fast track assault’ hearing
Democratic Party lawmaker Park Beom-gye, who was prosecuted in relation to the crash that occurred in the process of designating the National Assembly Fast Track (fast-track) in April 2019, is attending the first trial held at the Seoul Southern District Court in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of September 23 last year. yunhap news
② Conflict of interest “Right vs. not”= Controversy over conflicts of interest: ▶The pledge of the district and the increase in the price of one’s own house.▶ Holding a stake in the law firm’Myeongkyung’ while serving as a member of the National Assembly. ▶The defendant under the status of the Minister of Justice. Candidate Park responded to the suspicion that the pledge to install an art bridge in Dunsan-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon, had an impact on the increase in the price of his house (31% based on the official price). “As a member of the district parliament, living in the district and making regional-related pledges should be done.” He is actively refuting this.
Right after the election of the National Assembly in 2012, the law firm Myeong-gyeong, who invested 10 million won by Park candidate, has no problem raising suspicions from the opposition party that sales have increased since Park’s activities in the Legislative Judicial Committee. This is because the lawyer closed in June 2012 immediately after its establishment, and there was no fact that it received any proceeds including dividends. Candidate Park reported withdrawal from the law firm on the 14th and disposed of the stake.
Controversy is expected to continue after the hearing that Candidate Park is tried on charges of exercising physical force against the opposition aides (assault) in the process of setting up the agenda for expedited processing of the National Assembly (Fast Track) in 2019. This is because the position of the Minister of Justice, whom he was nominated for, is the position to direct and supervise the prosecution in charge of maintaining the prosecution of the case. Candidate Park said, “We will not receive a separate report on the progress of the trial in the future.” “There will be no disadvantages (to prosecutors) for prosecuting the candidate.” Park’s trial date, which was originally on the 27th of this month, was postponed to March at his request for postponement.
Conflicting claims of’high school student assault suspicion’
Lee Jong-bae, a representative of the Solidarity for Action to Set the Rule of Law Right (legal sophistication), holds a press conference on the morning of the 12th to accuse Justice Minister Park Beom-gye in front of the Civil Affairs Office of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. News 1
③ Suspicion of assault is “under investigation”The suspicion that candidate Park assaulted a high school student who protested in front of candidate Park’s house while insisting on the honor of the bar exam in 2016 is sharply divided. Candidate Park said, “There is a part that is different from the facts of the accuser’s claim,” and “as a candidate for the Minister of Justice, we cannot respond specifically to the case under investigation.” Regarding this, Lee Jong-bae, the head of the examination meeting for the judicial examination, said, “I never imagined that (Candidate Park) would blatantly deny it,” said Lee Jong-bae, who attended the hearing and verification meeting for candidate Park.
From December 2007 to February 2008, the head of the household in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul was changed to the eldest son, who was 13 years old at the time, and the suspicion that Park’s spouse moved in disguise to run for the general election of candidate Park. “I changed the head of the household because it was necessary to maintain the address until,” he said. “It is unreasonable to raise the suspicion of moving into the middle school and high school from Daejeon, mainly for college entrance exams.”
Candidate Park bowed his head over the history of violating the law or controversy. In the past, the car was seized seven times for violating traffic laws or for arrears in paying the fine. “The attending staff was unable to confirm in detail whether the car was being paid for the penalty, but the fact that he was not able to take care of the small part in person was unclear.” Said. In the process of deliberating on the budget of the National Assembly Judiciary Committee in November of last year, he said, “I apologize” for being caught up in the narrative when he told the Chief of Court Administration, Cho Jae-yeon, “Please ask him to be saved.”
“If the prosecution’s right to investigate immediately is abolished, crime response capabilities will be void”
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol (left) and Justice Minister Park Beom-gye candidate (also a member of the Democratic Party) questioning and answering questions and answers at the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office’s state affairs audit held at the National Assembly on October 22 last year. yunhap news
◆“Listen to the Prosecutor General’s Opinion, Be Proactive”= Candidate Park said, “I will listen to the prosecutor’s general’s personnel opinions when performing prosecutors’ personnel,” and “it is desirable to proceed with the prosecution’s opinion listening procedure.” When asked about the evaluation of Justice Minister Chu Mi-ae, who creaked as a demotion telegram to a majority of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol’s aide in January of last year, he avoided an immediate answer and emphasized’stable cooperation’ with the prosecution several times.
Candidate Park showed a cautious attitude regarding the abolition of the prosecution’s right to investigate the prosecution in his passport, saying, “The right to investigate and the right to prosecute should be separated, but if the right to investigate the prosecution right now is completely abolished, there is a risk of a void in the country’s ability to respond to crime.” Regarding the public interest report that recently sparked a controversy over the illegal departure of Kim Hak-ei from the Ministry of Justice, the prosecution’s plan to protect whistleblowers means “(whiskers) should not receive any disadvantages and their identity should be thoroughly protected.” Revealed.
Reporter Ha Jun-ho [email protected]