'Yanggangyangbak' Targets Yoon Administration... "Personnel Disaster, Disclose Presidential Office Hiring Criteria"

Public Criticism of Kwon Seong-dong's Acquaintance Hiring Allegations
Calls for Disclosure of Presidential Office List and Hiring Process

Kang Byung-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a press conference announcing his candidacy for party leader at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 29th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The '97 Group' candidates who have thrown their hats into the ring for the Democratic Party of Korea's party leader election have collectively intensified their attacks on the personnel corruption allegations against the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.

On the 16th, Congressman Kang Byung-won criticized on Facebook, "The presidential office has degenerated into a 'family-run business'; respond to the National Assembly's request for materials."

He said, "The Yoon Seok-yeol personnel disaster is 'an ongoing issue,'" adding, "Relatives up to the sixth and eighth degree, an older sister, the wife of a personnel secretary, and even two sons of a friend who called the president 'uncle.' Seeing them drag in relatives by marriage to the farthest degree, I feel an indescribable embarrassment wondering whether this is truly the presidential office that assists the head of state and jointly manages national affairs or just a family business."

He continued, "We have submitted a request for materials regarding the list of employees affiliated with the presidential office, their job assignments, career backgrounds, hiring procedures, the employment status of relatives of the president and first lady as well as senior secretaries at the chief secretary level or above, and the existence and application of personnel regulations verifying the hiring of private interest parties," urging, "We expect a 'sincere and detailed response' befitting the presidential office's 'confident explanation' that 'excluding relatives is discrimination.'"

Park Jumin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is declaring his candidacy for the party leader election at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 8th. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

On the same day, Congressman Park Joo-min also addressed reports that the son of a close acquaintance of Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong is working at the presidential office, saying, "President Yoon Seok-yeol should never again utter the words 'fairness and common sense,'" and questioned, "Does he have no understanding whatsoever of the concept of 'conflict of interest'?"

Congressman Park emphasized, "The public is feeling not just disappointment but despair over the ongoing personnel controversies, including the hiring of Mr. Hwang, a close acquaintance of President Yoon, in the Office of Civil Society Affairs; the hiring of the older sister of far-right YouTuber Ahn Jung-kwon in the Public Relations Office; and the hiring of Mr. Jeong, an employee of Kobana Contents who posted the 'dog apology' video."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The previous day, Congressman Park Yong-jin said, "Floor Leader Kwon stated that President Yoon Seok-yeol did not even know whether the older sister of the YouTuber who made the 5.18 distortion remarks was working at the presidential office, nor did he know her name," adding, "This is precisely Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong personally certifying and confessing the president's incompetence."

Congressman Park questioned President Yoon, saying, "This is why criticisms arise regarding poor personnel verification, secret involvement such as by First Lady Kim Geon-hee, and the privatization of power," and asked, "President Yoon Seok-yeol, what does responsibility mean to you?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Congressman Kang Hoon-sik also stated on the same day, "We demand the disclosure of hiring standards for all presidential office employees," adding, "We can no longer tolerate 'manipulation of hiring.' The end of network politics is only public misfortune."

He criticized, "In response to the opposition party and media raising issues, the shameless attitude of 'What's the problem?' is almost too disgraceful to even advise," and said, "Looking at the presidential office filled with connections instead of competence, the drift of the Yoon administration is only natural."

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