"Was the Feed Cost a Waste?" vs "Vulgar Public Opinion Play" ... Pungsangae Return Dispute

People Power Party: "Former President Trying to Take Taxes Over Dog Feed Costs"
Democratic Party: "Mocking Feed Costs... Yoon Government and People Power Party's Trick"

Former President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook are looking at the puppies of Pungsan dog Gom. Photo by Cheong Wa Dae

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Political circles are engaged in a dispute after it was reported that former President Moon Jae-in requested the government to negotiate the return of the Pungsan dogs he raised to the state. The People Power Party criticized, saying, "Were they reluctant to pay for the dog food?" while the Democratic Party of Korea responded, calling it "(the ruling party's) petty and vulgar public opinion play."

According to Yonhap News on the 7th, former President Moon is reportedly negotiating with the government to return a pair of Pungsan dogs and one puppy, which he received as a gift from North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and raised at his Yangsan residence, to the state.

After the third inter-Korean summit in September 2018, former President Moon received the Pungsan dogs 'Gomi' and 'Songgang' as gifts from Chairman Kim. Upon leaving the Blue House after his term ended, Moon took Gomi, Songgang, and one puppy named 'Daun'?one of the seven puppies born to Gomi?to his residence in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, where they have lived together since.

Under the Presidential Records Management Act, Pungsan dogs received in the capacity of head of state are also classified as presidential records. However, the Presidential Archives lacks facilities to manage and raise animals and plants, and considering animal welfare, it was deemed preferable for the dogs to live with their owner. Therefore, on May 9, the last day of Moon's term, an agreement was made entrusting the Pungsan dogs to former President Moon.

Recently, media reports revealed that the monthly cost of raising the Pungsan dogs reached 2.5 million KRW, and in response, former President Moon's side reportedly requested the government to discuss how to manage the dogs' care.

The so-called 'Pungsan dog return' controversy has sparked political disputes. On the 7th, People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong wrote on his Facebook, "Even ordinary citizens do not shamelessly demand maintenance fees after adopting a dog." He added, "Were they reluctant to pay for the dog food? It is truly petty and embarrassing." He further criticized, "There is a saying that you can tell a person's true character by their later years. Seeing a former president trying to get taxpayers to pay for dog food makes one wonder what kind of mindset he had while governing the country."

In response, Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Gun-young, who served as the head of the Blue House's National Planning and Situation Office under the Moon administration, countered on Facebook the same day, saying, "This is a problem caused by a legal loophole due to the Yoon Seok-yeol government's inaction." Yoon stated, "(The ruling party's) petty and vulgar public opinion play," and argued, "The Pungsan dogs gifted to the president are clearly presidential records under current law. Presidential records must be transferred to the archives according to the law."

He continued, "However, during the president-elect period, President Yoon conveyed to former President Moon that 'it would be better if the person raising them takes them,' and former President Moon took Gomi, Songgang, and Daun to Pyeongsan." He added, "This was based on a promise between the previous and current governments to exclude animals from the category of 'records' that must be transferred to the archives, pending legal amendments," and explained, "Without legal amendments, taking the records could itself be an illegal act."

Yoon claimed, "However, for some reason, six months after the new government took office, the enforcement ordinance has not been amended," and alleged, "Rumor has it that the Yongsan Presidential Office is blocking the amendment of the enforcement ordinance." He further stated, "Outwardly, they say 'take them and raise them,' but secretly, the Yongsan Presidential Office is obstructing the legalization of raising the dogs in Pyeongsan Village," and criticized, "Mocking the Pyeongsan Village's judgment that it is appropriate to raise the dogs in the archives under current law by complaining about 'feed costs' is a trick by the Yoon government and the People Power Party to cover up their own pettiness."

On the 7th, former President Moon's secretariat issued a statement saying, "Former President Moon Jae-in intends to return the Pungsan dogs 'Gomi' and 'Songgang,' which were entrusted to him by the Presidential Archives, back to the Presidential Archives."

The secretariat explained in the statement, "Since the Pungsan dogs are legally state property and presidential records, they were transferred to the Presidential Archives upon former President Moon's retirement. However, as the Presidential Archives lacks personnel, facilities, and systems to manage companion animals, considering the emotional bond required for pets, an agreement was made among the Presidential Archives, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and former President Moon to entrust their care to him." They added, "As reported, there was also a good-faith agreement during a meeting with President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol."

They continued, "However, since this is an unprecedented case without explicit legal grounds, the Presidential Archives and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety promised to promptly amend the enforcement ordinance of the Presidential Records Management Act to establish explicit legal grounds." They claimed, "Accordingly, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced the legislative proposal for the ordinance amendment on June 17, but due to an objection from the Presidential Office for unknown reasons, it was not submitted to the Cabinet meeting."

They added, "Afterward, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety informed that they would revise some wording and re-announce the legislative proposal, but there has been no progress even as six months have passed since the retirement." They concluded, "Given the current situation, contrary to the positions of the Presidential Archives and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Presidential Office seems to be negative about entrusting the care of the Pungsan dogs to former President Moon."

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