Kim Hyun-ji, first deputy chief of employees, attends a Cupboard assembly on the presidential workplace in Yongsan, Seoul, on Oct. 21. [Presidential Office Press Corps]
The Nationwide Meeting’s audit of the presidential workplace on Nov. 6 collapsed into chaos because the ruling and opposition events clashed over the absence of Kim Hyun-ji, first deputy chief of employees and certainly one of President Lee Jae Myung’s closest aides.
Tensions flared from the beginning when Kim didn’t seem, regardless of repeated requests from the Individuals Energy Get together (PPP). Democratic Get together (DP) lawmaker Chae Hyun-il accused PPP Rep. Joo Jin-woo of a battle of curiosity, noting his previous function as authorized secretary to former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Joo fired again, claiming the DP was attempting to “silence” him for elevating allegations in opposition to Kim. The shouting match escalated till Committee Chair Kim Byung-ki suspended the audit. A bodily confrontation was additionally reported between PPP Flooring Chief Tune Eon-seok and DP Rep. Lee Gi-heon. What was imagined to be the primary main audit underneath the Lee administration devolved into partisan spectacle.
The standoff was predicted as soon as Kim refused to attend the session. Final week, ruling and opposition events had tried to barter her look. The DP instructed she attend within the morning solely, citing the president’s afternoon schedule, however the PPP rejected this. It’s troublesome for the general public to know why the president’s aide couldn’t spare even a single day to reply lawmakers’ questions throughout a legally mandated audit.
Different prime presidential aides — chief of employees Kang Hoon-sik, Coverage Chief Kim Yong-beom, Senior Political Secretary Woo Sang-ho and Senior Civil Affairs Secretary Bong Uk — had been all current. Solely Kim Hyun-ji, regardless of her central function, was absent. Woo Sang-ho stated final month that Kim would testify “one hundred pc if the Meeting votes,” and President Lee himself urged his cupboard to totally cooperate with the legislature. But the presidential workplace blocked her attendance.
The ruling celebration argues that the first deputy chief of employees historically doesn’t testify at audits. Nevertheless, Kim served as presidential secretary for common affairs till shortly earlier than the session — a place that oversees personnel, price range and administration, and which has all the time participated in audits. Her sudden reassignment has fueled suspicions that it was designed to protect her from questioning.
The audit may have supplied a chance for Kim to handle public considerations. As an alternative, it ended with deeper distrust. If this sample continues, each audit could also be overshadowed by disputes over her look. It’s neither sustainable nor wholesome for one presidential aide to turn out to be a recurring supply of political battle. The presidential workplace ought to enable Kim Hyun-ji to reply transparently slightly than look like intent on hiding her from scrutiny.
