Another Misstep? Kim Eui-gyeom, a Lawmaker Who Keeps Hounding the Minister of Justice

A public debate between Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon and Kim Eui-gyeom, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, has recently ignited fervent discussions within the National Assembly. Let's delve into the details of this controversy, exploring its background and the course of the debate.

 

The video of the National Assembly confrontation gained attention online, and some netizens compared the travel expenses of Democratic Party members and Ministry of Justice officials.

 

Minister Han alleged that Kim's demand for the detailed breakdown of his October last year's expenses during a trip to the United States was related to suspicions of the "North Korean Coin" scandal involving Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's leader. This suspicion implies that figures within the Democratic Party, including Lee Jae-myung, attempted to send funds to North Korea using cryptocurrency to evade North Korean sanctions.

 

Throughout this process, Minister Han asserted, "I reduced the number of accompanying staff and cut down on travel expenses compared to previous administrations." In response, Kim criticized, saying, "Are we talking about the past administrations again?" and "Aren't you tired of this?" Minister Han retorted, "Should we then compare it to the Lee Seung-man administration?" and "I'm not tired."

 

During a plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Kim Eui-gyeom asked Minister Han, "You recently received a court order to disclose the information about your U.S. trip. Do you plan to appeal?" Minister Han responded, "I suggested reviewing precedents and mentioned that I haven't been able to receive routine reports in the National Assembly lately. As you know, even if I disclose the travel information, what meaningful discussion can arise from it?"

 

Kim Eui-gyeom challenged, "You cited concerns about significantly harming the nation's interests if the travel information is disclosed due to non-disclosure reasons. I don't find that convincing. Are we talking about meal expenses and transportation costs? Is it related to national security?"

 

Minister Han countered, "It's the usual wording used when keeping information private," and he mentioned, "One of the reasons you're fixated on this issue is because you mentioned that I went to the FBI for investigations related to Lee Jae-myung and Park Won-soon, didn't you?"

 

Given Kim Eui-gyeom's previous claims that his demand for information about Minister Han's October trip was to investigate the 'North Korean Coin' suspicions related to Lee Jae-myung, it is anticipated that if Minister Han's statements continue, it could lead to unfavorable discussions for the Democratic Party regarding cryptocurrency.

 

In response to Kim's attempt to interrupt, Minister Han criticized, "If you ask A, answer A. Instead of discussing meal expenses, why are you dragging irrelevant matters into this?"

 

Minister Han explained, "Why can't I do it? When I traveled, I reduced both the number of accompanying staff and the expenses." Kim Eui-gyeom retorted, "Again, the past administrations," and raised his voice, to which Minister Han responded, "So, are you comparing it to the Lee Seung-man administration?"

 

As Kim Eui-gyeom tried to interject with, "I have a question, I have a question," Minister Han stated, "I am providing answers to the questions."

 

Finally, as the public debate between Kim Eui-gyeom and Minister Han Dong-hoon continued, Minister Han concluded by saying, "Okay, then. I will disclose it. However, if you are requesting information about the past administrations at the Ministry of Justice, I will do so alongside you. Comparing the two will reveal who managed it properly."

 

Kim Eui-gyeom protested, "Are we still talking about the past administrations?" and Minister Han replied, "No, we're not tired of it."

 

Minister Han's overseas trip took place from June 29th to July 7th, his first international trip since taking office. During this trip, he visited the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to enhance cooperation on criminal justice and discuss measures for vetting high-ranking officials. The trip, which involved Minister Han and three staff members, lasted for seven nights and nine days, with a total expense of 48 million KRW (Korean Won). This expenditure was comparatively lower in terms of personnel and costs when compared to previous trips by ministers and vice ministers.

 

The video of the National Assembly confrontation gained attention online, and some netizens compared the travel expenses of Democratic Party members and Ministry of Justice officials. In June of the previous year, a trip to Washington, D.C., and New York by three Democratic Party lawmakers and one staff member amounted to a total of 58.15 million KRW in expenses. Meanwhile, Minister Han's delegation spent approximately 5.33 million KRW per day, whereas the Democratic Party lawmakers and staff spent around 8.3 million KRW per day during their trip.