Ruling and Opposition Parties Withdraw Most Business Leaders from Audit Summons... Chey Taewon, Chung Yongjin, and Kim Beomseok Remain as Scheduled

A Record 195 Business Leaders Were Initially Summoned
Witness List Shrinks as Policy Shifts to Minimize Unnecessary Appearances
Witnesses Requested by People Power Party Lawmakers Remain on the List

Business leaders who were scheduled to appear in large numbers at the first parliamentary audit since the inauguration of the Lee Jaemyung administration are being consecutively removed from the witness list. This reflects the intentions of the government and the ruling party to minimize unnecessary appearances by business leaders, given the current domestic and international economic situation.

On October 14, the National Assembly’s Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee withdrew the selection of Lee Yongbae, CEO of Hyundai Rotem; Lee Sujin, CEO of Yanolja; Kim Giho, CEO of Asung Daiso; and Shin Wongeun, CEO of Jinhaksa, as witnesses who were scheduled to attend the audit of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee also withdrew the selection of Heo Yunhong, CEO of GS Engineering & Construction; Choi Joosun, CEO of Samsung SDI; and Kim Ibae, CEO of Jeju Air, as witnesses the previous day. Instead of Jung Kyungkoo, CEO of HDC Hyundai Development Company, the witness was changed to Cho Taeje, Chief Safety Officer (CSO) of HDC Hyundai Development Company. For Lee Haewook, Chairman of DL Group, the witness was changed to Yeo Seongchan, CEO of DL Construction.

Kim Byung-ki, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the National Assembly's audit countermeasure meeting held on the 14th. 2025.10.14 Photo by Kim Hyun-min

The Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee also withdrew business leaders as witnesses or reduced the number of required appearances. Kim Youngseop, CEO of KT, who was initially scheduled to be summoned twice, will now be called only once on October 21. Wilson White, Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy for Asia-Pacific at Google, and Jean Louis, CEO of Aliexpress Korea, were removed from the witness list. The Public Administration and Security Committee excluded Chung Euisun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, and Yoo Youngsang, CEO of SK Telecom, who were scheduled to appear on October 17, from the list of witnesses.

The fact that each standing committee is withdrawing business leaders as witnesses is closely related to the government and ruling party’s stance of “minimizing business community witnesses.” Kim Byungki, floor leader of the Democratic Party, previously stated, “We will minimize the attendance of company owners or CEOs at the audit.” Previously, the number of business leaders selected as witnesses for the audit reached a record high of 195, but as adjustments are made, this number is expected to decrease.

Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the National Assembly's audit countermeasure meeting held on the 14th. 2025.10.14 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

However, Chey Taewon, Chairman of SK Group, and Chung Yongjin, Chairman of Shinsegae Group, who were selected as witnesses by the Political Affairs Committee and the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee, respectively, remain on the list. Both were requested as witnesses by People Power Party lawmakers (Kang Min-guk and Kim Sung-won), so their cooperation is needed, but they have not yet indicated any intention to withdraw the requests. The Political Affairs Committee also re-selected Kim Beomseok, Chairman of Coupang Inc., who had previously expressed his intention not to attend due to being overseas, as a witness for the comprehensive audit on October 28.

Meanwhile, on the second day of the audit, both the ruling and opposition parties continued their disputes in 14 standing committees of the National Assembly, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, and the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. The Public Administration and Security Committee clashed over responsibility for and the handling of a fire at the National Data Resource Management Agency. In the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, heated debates took place over the arrest and release of former Korea Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jinsook, focusing on “violation of political neutrality” and “allegations of illegal investigation.” In the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, where Unification Minister Chung Dongyoung was present, the ruling and opposition parties also engaged in fierce debate. The National Defense Committee’s audit addressed suspicions regarding unmanned drones in Pyongyang under the Yoon Sukyeol administration, while the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee discussed energy and nuclear power policies of both the previous Yoon Sukyeol administration and the current administration.

During the Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s audit, the ruling party argued against what they claimed were illegal and unfair investigations by the prosecution under the previous administration, while the People Power Party criticized the opposition’s push for three special prosecutor investigations (on insurrection, Kim Keonhee, and the death of a Marine) as unjust. In addition, the Political Affairs Committee’s audit addressed the closure of Homeplus stores, the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee’s audit discussed the unauthorized small payment incident at KT, and the Education Committee’s audit included questions regarding the Reebok School incident.

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