The presidential office recently conducted an inspection into personnel solicitation by Moon Jin-seok, senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, to Kim Nam-kuk, former presidential office digital communications secretary. The subjects of the inspection are Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, First Private Secretary Kim Hyun-ji, and the former secretary Kim.
Kang said at the "meeting on six-month achievements by the three chiefs and senior secretaries of the presidential office" held at the Yongsan presidential office on the afternoon of the 7th, "We conducted an inspection of myself, former secretary Kim Nam-kuk, and Secretary Kim Hyun-ji, and as a result confirmed that the former secretary Kim did not relay the related content."
Kang said, "Presidential office secretaries do not know every detail about the personnel system, and in the process, there was a misunderstanding that inaccurate information could be inappropriately conveyed," adding, "We issued a stern warning to the staff member in question, who acknowledged the lapse in judgment and offered to resign."
Kang added, "The presidential office responded firmly to the improper solicitation and has accepted the staff member's resignation," stressing, "We will strictly enforce public service discipline to prevent misunderstandings and make every effort in staff management."
On the 2nd, on the floor of the National Assembly, Senior Deputy Floor Leader Moon Jin-seok sent a text message to the former secretary Kim asking to recommend a fellow alumnus as head of the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Associatio (KAMA). The scene was captured by media cameras. A reply from Secretary Kim on the mobile phone, reading "I'll recommend it to Hoon-sik hyung and Hyun-ji noona," was also caught.