On the 7th, the Democratic Party of Korea continued to provide cover by forming a dedicated response team to Minister of Justice Kim Seung-won, who was suspected of soliciting approval for clinical trials of new drugs.
The conservative opposition, including the People Power Party and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, is increasing its level of attack on candidate Kim, and the party appears to be responding with all its might.
Chief Spokesperson Park Seong-joon met with reporters after the closed-door Supreme Council meeting and said, “The party needs to actively respond to the negativity toward candidate Kim.”
The response team includes Supreme Council members Han Min-soo and Jeon Yong-ki, Jo Gye-won spokesperson, and Legislative and Judiciary member Rep. Kim Dong-ah.
Chief Spokesperson Park explained, "Regarding Candidate Kim's personal response, there was a statement (from the highest level) that the candidate must respond quickly. The candidate's preparation team has a role to play," and added, "(The party) has a dedicated response team set up to respond to the negative."
In response to criticism from the conservative opposition, they took cover, calling it a 'strong meeting.'
In particular, they counterattacked independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, who raised related suspicions, by asking about the circumstances in which the recording was obtained.
Spokesperson Jo Gye-won said in a written briefing, "This is a case that could not be brought to trial even after 11 prosecutors under the Yoon Seok-yeol government were investigated in all directions for two years," and criticized, "If you want to claim successful lobbying, first show how the preferential treatment was achieved."
He then said, "No matter how much of the devil's editing skills I used, there were no new facts, and it was just a piecemeal edit of past confidential investigation materials and recordings," and asked a lawmaker, "Where did you get the prosecution cabinet's confidential investigation materials and recordings?"
Spokesperson Cho mentioned a transcript released by a lawmaker in another written briefing and said, "We are silent on the content regarding the People Power Party's presidential candidates and former representatives and ministers," and added, "Before pointing fingers at others, I hope you first look back on the suspicions against yourself and the People Power Party."
The former Supreme Council member also pointed out on Facebook, "How did the investigative materials containing the indictment, criminal plan, and even specific charges come out from the outside and fall into the hands of a member of the National Assembly?" and added, "When asked about the source, do not avoid it by mentioning a public interest informant."
Rep. Kim Eui-gyeom, the ruling party secretary for the Legislative and Judiciary Committee, appeared on MBC radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on this day and took aim at a lawmaker, saying, "He is turning the case into 'Sunday Seoul' through excerpts, distortions, and editing." He added, "Seeing his skill in cutting out investigation records and editing them with scissors, I clicked my tongue and wanted to give him a new nickname, 'Chosun's Best Scissors.'"
However, he drew a line with Yong Hye-in, the candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, who has been criticized for concurrently serving as a proportional representative member and the controversy over the privatization of the party, saying, "We must make a good judgment in accordance with the public's perspective."
Rep. Lee Su-jin, the ruling party's secretary for the Gender Equality and Family Committee, appeared on KBS Radio's 'Blitz Current Affairs' and said, "We need a hearing to be held quickly so that we can have the opportunity to verify our beliefs," but added, "As this is a position that must meet the public's expectations and requires high morality and political responsibility, there are a lot of suspicions being raised."
Five-term lawmaker Park Jie-won also appeared on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' and predicted, "No matter how much you think you are right, you cannot hold any public office unless the people think it is right. We will only find out after the hearing, but I think it will be difficult for (candidate Yong) to endure."
