Presidential Chief of Staff for Policy Kim Yong-beom and People Power Party lawmaker Kim Eun-hye clashed in the National Assembly over allegations of a family gap investment. It was only settled after floor leader and National Assembly Steering Committee Chair Kim Byung-kee of the Democratic Party of Korea stepped in, saying, "Is this a place for the policy chief to get angry?"
At the full session of the Steering Committee held at the National Assembly on the 18th, Deputy Minister Kim Yong-beom said in response to lawmaker Kim Eun-hye's question, "Who put together your daughter's jeonse deposit?" that "My daughter saved some, and I lent some."
According to the public disclosure of officials' assets on Sept. 9, Deputy Minister Kim's daughter holds a jeonse right to Samho Apartment in Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul.
When lawmaker Kim pressed again, asking, "Deputy Minister, did you buy the house through what this administration calls 'gap investment'?" Deputy Minister Kim answered, "It is not gap investment," adding, "I paid all the interim payments." Lawmaker Kim asked, "Do you want to tell your daughter to live in public rental housing?" and Deputy Minister Kim said, "Don't talk about my family like that."
Despite Deputy Minister Kim's explanation, lawmaker Kim continued the offensive. Kim said, "In next year's government budget, the government loans and policy loans that can be used for young people's jeonse funds were mostly cut. In the case of the Didimdol and Bogeumjari loans that young people can add to their jeonse funds, more than 3 trillion won was cut," adding, "If you cut policy loans like that, are you telling young people to go to monthly rentals or public rental housing?"
Deputy Minister Kim responded, "There is no need to go that far by naming my daughter," and "The government has not reduced loans for young people. What did we cut?"
As the war of words between lawmaker Kim and Deputy Minister Kim continued, Woo Sang-ho, the senior presidential secretary for political affairs sitting next to them, tried to stop Deputy Minister Kim. But Deputy Minister Kim raised his voice, saying, "Stay still," and "Talking about accusing me of perjury and all that."
Even as Senior Secretary Woo and floor leader Kim Byung-kee tried to stop him, Deputy Minister Kim said, "How can you call it 'gap investment' for a daughter who has to live her whole life being careful because her father is a public official?"
In the end, only after floor leader Kim shouted, "Is this a place for the policy chief to get angry?" did Deputy Minister Kim stop, saying, "I apologize." Senior Secretary Woo said, "Family matters are sensitive for everyone. We ask for your understanding."