Han Dong-hoon: "I demanded that the Prime Minister’s Office dismiss the employee who claimed to be an ‘ordinary citizen’"

[Financial News] Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon said on the 11th that he had demanded the Prime Minister’s Office immediately dismiss the section chief involved, calling it a grave matter in which the official had insulted the National Assembly and surveilled political activities, after the Prime Minister’s Office employee claimed to be an “ordinary citizen” and asked a question at his press conference.
Han told reporters at the National Assembly that he had conveyed his firm position that he would decide how to proceed with the issue of the prime minister’s continuation in or departure from office after seeing the Prime Minister’s Office’s decision regarding the section chief.
After the Prime Minister’s Office announced that it had issued a stern warning to the employee, Han argued, “A stern warning means that what he did was acceptable. It means nothing,” adding, “This is an issue concerning the status and honor of the National Assembly, beyond the level of either the People Power Party or the Democratic Party of Korea.”
The previous day, Han met with reporters at the National Assembly’s Rotunda Hall and held a press conference on allegations that Kim Seung-won, the nominee for minister of the Ministry of Justice, had solicited favors concerning a new drug. At the time, a man asked, “The prime minister posted on Facebook today that he would direct the investigation into how the investigation materials were leaked. Do you actually consider that to be directing an investigation?” When Han asked, “Which media outlet are you with?” the man replied, “I’m an ordinary citizen.”
Han stressed, “This is fundamentally a violation of public officials’ duty of political neutrality,” adding, “The exact circumstances must be established, including how far up the matter was reported, followed by an apology. Responsibility must be imposed through the dismissal of both the person involved and the person who gave the instructions.”
[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter