Daejang-dong and Gobalsa Ju Controversy... Moon Administration's Final National Audit, Multiple Suspensions from Day One

Joo Ho-young, a member of the People Power Party, attended the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee's audit of the Ministry of Science and ICT held at the National Assembly on the 1st, and is attaching a placard demanding a special prosecutor investigation related to the Daejang-dong scandal to his laptop. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Oh Ju-yeon, Lee Hyun-joo] On the first day of the last National Assembly inspection under the Moon Jae-in administration, the ruling and opposition parties clashed strongly over the Daejang-dong development scandal and the controversy surrounding the alleged political prosecution. From the very first day, recesses were repeatedly called in various standing committees.

Among the seven standing committee inspections held that day, the Education Committee, to which lawmaker Kwak Sang-do?who is embroiled in controversy over his son receiving a 5 billion won retirement payment?belongs, was the first to open fire on the Daejang-dong allegations. The People Power Party, which has defined this inspection as the ‘Daejang-dong inspection,’ immediately took a hard stance as the Education Committee inspection began. On that day, when Democratic Party lawmakers criticized Kwak Sang-do’s son for receiving a 5 billion won retirement payment from Hwacheon Daeyu, People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae raised his voice, saying, “4.04 trillion won was distributed in the Daejang-dong project,” and added, “I see not 5 billion won, but 4 trillion won lost that belongs to the people.” He demanded that the Daejang-dong gate be thoroughly investigated regardless of party lines and fiercely protested toward the ruling party, asking, “Who are you trying to protect?”

In the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, a sharp confrontation between ruling and opposition lawmakers occurred as the opposition’s demand to summon about 20 witnesses was rejected. After about 20 minutes of business reporting following the start of the inspection, People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Han-hong urged to speed up the inspection, saying, “Since we have seen the report in writing, please keep it brief.” In response, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Jong-min raised his voice, saying, “Remove the slogan posted in the meeting room immediately before starting the inspection.” During the inspection in the seven standing committees that day, the opposition posted stickers everywhere saying, “Those who refuse a special prosecutor are the culprits.” Lawmaker Kim said, “The inspection has become a battlefield of politics,” and Supreme Council member Kim Young-bae criticized, “What does this have to do with the Supreme Court inspection?” In response, lawmaker Yoon said, “It is related to the content of the questioning,” and “Not a single witness has been summoned, so this is an attempt to paralyze the inspection.” Due to this commotion, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee inspection was recessed in the morning.

In the Education Committee, Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Young-duk pointed out, “There are quite strange placards disrupting the meeting, which seriously hinder the normal progress of the inspection,” and requested, “Chairman, please decide to remove those objects that interfere with the meeting.” The Education Committee was also recessed in less than an hour after it started.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.