[Global Times Special Correspondent in South Korea Liu Haisheng] Where will Lee Jun-seok, leader of the ruling National Power Party in South Korea, go?
According to a report by "Korean National News" on the 4th, the party's Central Ethics Committee will hold a disciplinary review on Li Junxi's alleged acceptance of sexual entertainment on the 7th of this month.
In addition, the power struggle within the party over the position of the party leader has also entered a white-hot state, and the contradiction between Li Junxi himself and the "pro-Yin Xiyue faction" has become public, triggering speculation that "the ruling party is about to split."
The whistleblower keeps exposing new evidence
Born in 1985, Lee Jun-seok was promoted by former President Park Geun-hye. He is the youngest leader of a major political party in Korean history and is active in various Korean variety shows.
In December last year, a well-known South Korean whistleblower disclosed on his video platform YouTube channel that Lee Jun-seok, in 2013, the second year after he ended his post as an extraordinary countermeasure committee member of the New National Party (the predecessor of the National Power Party), was in a certain area in Rucheng District, Daejeon Metropolitan City. Hotel accepts bribes from a technology company.
The whistleblower confirmed the fact that Li Junxi accepted sexual bribes through the investigation materials of the local prosecutor's office, and filed a lawsuit with the party's Central Ethics Committee in the name of more than 20,000 responsible party members of the National Power Party, and also reported it to the prosecutor's office.
But the ethics committee initially decided not to investigate Lee Jun-seok.
However, in April this year, the evidence that the whistleblower exposed again brought the situation into a new situation.
An audio recording confirmed that Kim Cheol-geun, a close associate of Lee Jun-seok and the head of the political office of the party representative, met with employees of the bribery company in January this year, and promised to receive a letter of confirmation from him that "Lee Jun-seok did not accept sexual entertainment". Invested 700 million won (about 3.57 million yuan) in a dermatology hospital in Daejeon Metropolitan City.
In addition, the whistleblower also disclosed the relevant content of the investment guarantee and Li Junxi's instigation to destroy the evidence of sexual bribery.
Taking into account the newly added physical evidence, the Central Ethics Committee of the National Power Party unanimously approved the initiation of a disciplinary procedure against Li Junxi in April.
However, due to political considerations that "cannot have a negative impact on local elections", it was finally decided to postpone the meeting to the 7th of this month.
"Deep in the quagmire of a power struggle"
"Facing the pressure of resignation, Lee Jun-seok and the pro-Yin faction in the party showed a desperate struggle." "Korea Economy" reported on the 5th that with the imminent punishment review, the contradictions within the National Power Party may intensify.
In response to the request of "resigning in advance as a solution", Li Junxi publicly retorted that "there is no room for compromise in the face of attack."
Some of the ruling party's main members of Congress said that it was inappropriate for the ethics committee to conduct disciplinary deliberation on the party leader due to the remaining scandal, but at a critical moment that determines the party's life and death, Lee Jun-seok, as the party leader, should really consider his own advancement and retreat.
On the 5th, the pro-Yin congressman Bae Hyun-jin of the party also publicly criticized Lee Jun-seok, saying: "Lee Jun-seok should do what he should do (resigning)." In response, Lee Jun-seok publicly stated on his personal social media: "Obviously, this It was the various attacks on me by the core members of Yin Xiyue's team."
"The Korean National News" reported that "the leader of the ruling party was caught in the quagmire of a power struggle due to suspicion of sexual hospitality," and Lee Jun-seok will become the first leader of the ruling party in the history of South Korea to stand on the ethics trial platform within the party.
Soon after the Yin Xiyue government came to power, the "Li Junxi Punishment Case" with a strong power struggle broke out in the ruling circle. No matter whether or not the punishment was punished or not, it would cause a follow-up turmoil.
South Korea's "NEWS 1" news website stated that there were serious differences within the ruling party regarding the Li Junxi review case, with those in favor that it should be dealt with in accordance with party regulations, while some dissenting voices said that Li Junxi could not be treated like a rabbit (referring to Li Junxi leading the ruling party to win the presidential election and local elections).
Most of the South Korean political circles believe that no matter what the final deliberation result is, it will become a watershed for Lee Jun-seok himself and South Korean politics, which may involve the ruling party into an "uncontrollable post-event storm".
scandal-ridden
In addition to Li Junxi, many senior officials of the South Korean government have also been deeply involved in controversy recently.
According to South Korea's "Central Daily News" report on the 5th, Yin Xiyue approved the appointment proposal of Park Soon-ae, the deputy prime minister and education minister candidate, on the 4th without going through a parliamentary personnel hearing.
This is the first time in 14 years since Ahn Byung-man, Minister of Education, Science and Technology under the Lee Myung-bak administration, was appointed head of education without a hearing.
Coupled with Park Soon-ae's drunk driving scandal, there has been a voice against Park's appointment in the Korean education sector.
According to the report, Park Soon-ae had been drinking and driving in 2001 and failed to tell the public truthfully.
This year, 376 teachers were excluded from retirement incentives for drink-driving, according to Opposition Co-Democratic lawmaker Ahn Min-seok.
And more than 100 of them have drunk driving years older than Park Soon-ae, and they are still punished.
In addition to drinking and driving, Park Soon-ae is also accused of repeating publications, engaging her spouse in government research projects to embezzle research funds, and using power for personal gain as a professor.
In addition, Kim Seung-hee, a candidate for the Minister of Health and Welfare of South Korea, voluntarily resigned on the 4th. He is currently under investigation by prosecutors for alleged improper use of political funds during his tenure as a member of Congress.
South Korea's Central Election Management Commission suspects that Kim Seung-hee has privately misappropriated political funds and used it as incentive money for the auxiliary group, car insurance premiums in the name of his spouse, and rental car deposits.
Although Jin Chengxi claimed that "it was not intentional misappropriation, it was caused by work mistakes." However, the report said that as long as she was investigated by the prosecution for suspected violations of the law, she would not be able to perform her duties.
South Korea's "Chosun Ilbo" reported that Kim Seung-hee's resignation was the third-ranked candidate for the government's cabinet to be sacked.
Previously, Kim In-cheol, the nominee for the Minister of Education, and Jung Ho-young, the candidate for the Minister of Health and Welfare, were sacked due to issues such as female enrollment and misuse of public funds.
A recent poll showed that Yin Xiyue's approval rating fell to 40%-45%, and the biggest reason for respondents' negative comments on the president was personnel issues.
Yonhap News Agency reported on the 5th that in response to the external controversy, Yin Xiyue asked at the Q&A meeting held by the President's Office that day, "Are there such outstanding people among the officers nominated by the former regime?" go.
The President's Office explained to the President that afternoon that there were many noises in the nomination of personnel, and that he "listened" to all kinds of accusations and criticisms.
In addition, in response to the question of "Is there a problem with personnel standards?", the spokesperson responded: "The government selects talents based on their abilities, and will allow them to continue to fully demonstrate their capabilities for the country and its citizens."