"Kang Seon-woo is not someone who abuses power," claims secretary's mother... "Daughter says she's like a friend"

[Financial News] Kang Seon-woo, a candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is embroiled in allegations of 'abuse of power' for dismissing 46 aides over five years of legislative life. In the midst of this, a post by Ms. A, who identified herself as the mother of a secretary in Kang's office, is drawing attention.

On the 12th, Ms. A wrote on her social networking service (SNS), "I hesitated several times to write this," and added, "I am worried that this post might escalate the issue further. Despite my hesitation, I am writing because I cannot just watch my beloved daughter suffer without eating as a mother."

Ms. A, who revealed that her daughter is a secretary working in Kang Seon-woo's office, said, "When the news of Kang Seon-woo's abuse of power was reported, my daughter doubted her eyes and ears," and added, "I, who knew Kang Seon-woo's nature in dealing with people through my daughter, felt the same way."

Ms. A said, "My daughter suffered great pain from severe abuse of power at her previous workplace, and that pain remains a deep trauma to this day," and emphasized, "Since the day the report came out, my daughter has not been able to eat properly. Seeing such a daughter brings tears to my eyes again."

Ms. A said, "A week after starting work at the office, my daughter said, 'Mom, our assemblyman doesn't seem like an assemblyman, she's like a real friend,'" and added, "I was always worried that my daughter's trauma would last a lifetime, but I was extremely happy as a mother to hear that she met a good boss, thinking that it wouldn't happen."

Ms. A emphasized that she was always with Kang during that process and said, "Even while doing high-intensity work and in difficult times, my daughter enjoyed going to work. If Kang was someone who treated her aides recklessly, if she was someone who habitually abused power, could she have worked happily as a secretary for nearly two years under her?"

Ms. A explained that after her daughter started working as Kang's secretary, she assisted him in several elections, including the general election and the party convention, and during the 12·3 martial law, she even suffered a finger fracture while climbing over the National Assembly wall. Ms. A was known to have been actively involved as a member of Nosamo in the past, and her daughter was also known to have been an activist in the progressive camp, working with her mother from an early age.

Ms. A said, "My heart breaks because my daughter is suffering due to misunderstandings about the assemblyman, and my heart aches because of my soft-hearted daughter," and emphasized again, "Kang Seon-woo is not such a person. I am confident that I have an eye for people after living in this field for thirty years. She is absolutely not someone who abuses her subordinates." 

As the personnel hearing for Kang is held on the 14th, Kang is accused of ordering aides to dispose of household garbage and repair broken toilets at her home. Additionally, posts related to Kang have been continuously uploaded on anonymous communities for National Assembly workers, such as 'Bamboo Grove next to Yeouido.'

In response, Kang said, "There is an aunt who has been helping with household chores at my house for a long time, so the candidate does not need to do household chores herself," and added, "The articles currently being reported are based on the words of third parties who are not the direct perpetrators of the alleged acts. It has been identified as two former aides who are maliciously providing false information. Both will face legal action."



bng@fnnews.com Kim Hee-seon reporter