Jin Sung-joon, “Kim Eun-hye and Kang Seung-gyu Should Be Charged with Contempt of National Assembly for ‘What a Joke’ Memo”

Kim Eun-hye, senior secretary to the president for public relations, writes “what a joke” on Senior Secretary for Civil and Social Agenda Kang Seung-gyu’s notepad during a parliamentary inspection of the Office of the President by the House Steering Committee on November 8. Courtesy of Edaily

On November 9, Jin Sung-joon, deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, argued that the president’s senior press secretary Kim Eun-hye and his senior secretary for civil and social agenda Kang Seung-gyu should be charged with contempt of the National Assembly for writing “what a joke” on a notepad during the parliamentary inspection of the Office of the President.

On Wednesday, Jin appeared on the CBS radio show, Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show, and said, “Even if it (the note) wasn’t being sarcastic or making fun of the lawmakers, it is still unthinkable for a witness attending the parliamentary inspection.”

Senior Secretary Kim stirred controversy after writing “what a joke” on Senior Secretary Kang’s notepad during a parliamentary inspection of the Office of the President by the House Steering Committee on November 8. The memo was caught on a press camera when Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu asked Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki and National Security Advisor Kim Sung-han about the government’s response to the Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon. The senior press secretary explained, “I wrote that there while discussing another issue with Kang.” Kim and Kang did not state the details claiming it was a “private conversation” and were forced to leave the room.

Jin said, “Regardless of the circumstances, it is the basic etiquette of a witness to listen carefully when questions are being asked in the parliamentary inspection, since you don’t know who the questions will be addressed to,” and criticized, “If two witnesses sat next to each other and exchanged the memo, ‘what a joke,’ while a lawmaker was asking questions, you get the idea that they must be referring to the lawmaker. It is appalling.”

Jin said that the Office of the President should also act against the two senior secretaries. He said, “They should check the details to see what the fault was and take appropriate measures.”