Kim Jang-gyeom: "Committee Audit Isn't Anyone's Personal Property... Facts Must Be Investigated"

Ruling and opposition lawmakers clash over question time at committee audit

Kim Jangyeom, a People Power Party lawmaker, said on the 15th that Han Jun-ho, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, had tried to use the National Assembly audit for his own purposes during discussions on allocating questioning time at the National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee’s audit. Kim said it was inappropriate to bring up the allocation of questioning time while demanding an apology over the allegations that he had exerted pressure on KBS reporting, and stressed that the facts must be thoroughly established.

At a press conference that day at the National Assembly Communication Center, Kim said, “I understand that Han Jun-ho, the Democratic Party of Korea’s ranking member on the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, held the questioning time at the National Assembly audit hostage and demanded that I apologize for raising allegations that he exerted pressure on KBS reporting.”

People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jangyeom. Provided by Yonhap News.

He claimed that the demand for an apology was related to Han Jun-ho’s allegations of pressure on KBS reporting, saying, “The questioning time at the National Assembly audit is neither Han Jun-ho’s personal property nor a bargaining chip for advancing his personal interests.”

At the audit that day, Kim asked Song Ki-heon, chair of the committee, to confirm whether Han had instructed anyone to make the demand during discussions. He also called for an investigation into whether calls from aides in Han’s office protesting to KBS were made at Han’s direction.

“The police are currently investigating the case, and it is up to the investigative authorities and the judiciary to determine whether there was pressure,” Kim said. He stressed, “It is absolutely unacceptable to use a National Assembly audit as a tool to serve private interests.”

Han countered, “The allocation of five, three and two minutes for questioning had been agreed upon by the ruling and opposition parties’ ranking members, and persuading Democratic Party lawmakers was necessary to increase it to seven, five and three minutes.” He said Kim had attacked him based on unverified information, explaining that he had sought an apology during the negotiations.

Chair Song finalized the questioning time that day at seven, five and three minutes. “It appears that Han’s aides did not directly demand an apology from Kim or his aides,” he said, expressing regret that remarks made during the negotiations had been made public.

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