In the National Assembly’s main session, a mobile phone belonging to Moon Jin-seok, the deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party, was caught in action. According to a photograph taken by a media company, Representative Moon sent a message to Kim Nam-guk, the presidential office’s digital communication secretary, recommending a specific person for the position of chairman of the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association.
Moon mentioned their shared academic background at Chung-Ang University and emphasized the connection with President Lee Jae-myung, asking for the recommendation for the chairman position. Both Secretary Kim and Representative Moon are alumni of Chung-Ang University.
Moon then suggested that if he were to recommend the candidate, Kang Hoon-sik, the chief of staff, would oppose it, so he asked Secretary Kim to make the recommendation. In response, Secretary Kim replied, “I will recommend it to Brother Hoonsik and Sister Hyunji.”
This was presumed to refer to Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and Senior Secretary Kim Hyun-ji of the First Secretarial Division.
The opposition parties launched a unified attack. Assemblyman Joo Jin-woo of the People Power Party called it a “scene of personnel manipulation crime,” questioning, “Is national policy a club activity?”
He continued, “The theory of Kim Hyun-ji’s real power has been proven,” and claimed, “This means that Secretary Kim has the power to influence even the chairman seat of the automobile association.”
Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, also criticized, asking, “How can there be personnel solicitations while handling the national budget?” and “Who is Sister Hyunji?”
The presidential office announced that it had issued a “stern warning” to Secretary Kim Nam-guk. The presidential spokesperson’s office informed the media that “the presidential office has sternly warned an internal staff member who inappropriately conveyed inaccurate information, from the perspective of public service discipline.”