DPK confirms additional reasons for KCC chairperson nominee’s ineligibility

Lee Jin-sook, the chairperson nominee of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), listens to a question from a lawmaker during a confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly\'s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee. Yonhap News

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said on July 28 that Lee Jin-sook, the chairperson nominee of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), used a company credit card for personal use when she was president of Daejeon MBC and traveled abroad after missing work without notice. The DPK raised the level of offense, saying that if President Yoon Suk-yeol goes ahead with the nominee's appointment, "the departure of Yoon's impeachment train will be faster."

Lawmakers from the DPK’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee held a press conference at the National Assembly later in the day and said they additionally confirmed the reason for the nominee’s ineligibility as a result of the site inspection of Daejeon MBC the previous day. They alleged that Lee used a corporate card nearly twice the limit and failed to submit evidence and traveled abroad while being absent from work without leave for 10 days at the end of 2017.

“The (corporate card) limit is 2.2 million won per month, but (the nominee) spent an average of more than 4.2 million won per month,” they said, adding, ”If you spend more than the limit, you have to provide proof, but Lee did not provide any proof.” The company credit card can be used beyond its limit, but the problem is that she did not provide any evidence before or after using it. “We have secured the details of the nominee’s corporate card, which is one of the important data in the on-site verification process,” they said. ”Suspicions are only rising as it has been confirmed that Lee went on an overseas trip while missing work without notice during the Christmas holidays in 2017, just before she submitted her resignation.”

“It's time for her to take responsibility for the far-right path she has taken, the illegal acts she committed and all the intimidation and lies she told to hide them,” said the DPK lawmakers. ”We will put her on the photo line of an investigative agency, not the KCC.” DPK lawmaker Lee Hoon-ki urged the withdrawal of the nomination, saying, "If President Yoon pushes ahead with Lee’s appointment, the departure of his impeachment train will be faster."

Earlier, the DPK’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee held a three-day confirmation hearing of Lee from July 24 to 26. It was initially scheduled to last for two days, but on the night of the 25th, it passed a motion to change the hearing plan.

During the hearing, opposition lawmakers focused on Lee's alleged political bias and personal use of the corporate credit card. Lee's remarks about Japanese Military Sexual Slavery, which is also known as Comfort Women, were also controversial.

When Choi Min-hee, chairperson of the committee, asked, “What is the nominee’s position on Comfort Women for the Japanese military? Was it forced or voluntary?” Lee said, “I won't answer because it's a controversial issue,” but then added, “I take it back that it's a controversial issue. I'm not New Right.” There were also allegations that Lee used the corporate credit card for personal use at bakeries, bars. She did not elaborate, saying only in principle that “I used (the corporate card) for work-related purposes.”

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.