The People Power Party urged President Lee Jae-myung to apologize for the "personnel disaster" after former Korea Forest Service Administrator Kim In-ho was dismissed for cause over a drunk driving crash.
Choi Bo-yoon, senior spokesperson of the People Power Party, said in a commentary, "During wildfire season, when the entire country must focus all efforts on wildfire response, the top official responsible for forest disaster response drove after drinking and caused a crash," adding, "As the appointing authority, the president must explain fully to the public and present a responsible position."
She went on to say, "From the appointment stage, former Administrator Kim was a figure tainted by a 'self-recommendation' and controversy over being a close aide to Presidential Secretariat First Executive Assistant Kim Hyun-ji," adding, "It shows what results follow when a close associate is placed in a post where the blade of vetting has gone dull."
Former Administrator Kim is suspected of crashing into two vehicles while driving his own passenger car under the influence around 10:50 p.m. on the 20th in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. At the time, his blood alcohol concentration was reportedly at a license-suspension level.
In June last year, former Administrator Kim sparked controversy over an alleged "self-recommendation" by recommending himself as head of the Korea Forest Service through the National Recommendation System. On the documents then, he listed experience including policy advisory roles for Gyeonggi Province and Seongnam City and work with the Seongnam Agenda 21 Action Council. He worked with Deputy Minister Kim Hyun-ji, a close associate of President Lee, at the Seongnam Agenda 21 Action Council.
Joo Jin-woo, a People Power Party lawmaker, said, "It was foreseen from the moment Kim In-ho, who 'self-recommended' himself merely for being next to Deputy Minister Kim Hyun-ji, was seated as Korea Forest Service administrator," adding, "The president should apologize for the repeated personnel disasters." Chung Hee-yong, the party's secretary-general, also said, "Responsibility for personnel failures lies with the power that vetted and appointed that person. The government must clearly take responsibility before the public."