Park Ju-min, a lawmaker running as a preliminary candidate for Seoul mayor from the Democratic Party of Korea, raised allegations of collusion between Chong Won-o, former Seongdong District chief, and Deutsch Motors. He publicly mentioned the allegation, which had been raised by the opposition, during a joint debate and pressed the issue.
On the 20th, during the prerogative debate of the second joint debate for the Democratic Party of Korea's preliminary Seoul mayor primary, broadcast live on JTBC's "Lee Ga-hyeok Live" and the party's official YouTube channel "Deli Minju," candidate Park brought up the Deutsch Motors issue to candidate Chong.
Earlier, Kim Jae-seop of the People Power Party raised allegations of collusion between candidate Chong and Deutsch Motors and released a photo from last year showing then–district chief Chong with Kwon Hyuk-min, the CEO of Deutsch Motors. After Kim raised the allegations, Chong's camp refuted each point, saying they were "groundless."
Park said, "Deutsch Motors is tied to stock manipulation, and the party (the Democratic Party of Korea) has made an all-out effort to get to the bottom of it," adding, "On May 30, the very day before, President Lee Jae-myung said the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case must be uncovered and punished beyond the point of ruin. The next day, a photo emerged that appears to show attendance at a golf tournament sponsored by Deutsch Motors and having dinner and drinks. That is highly inappropriate."
Chong countered that it was "taking participation in an official event and tying it to something else."
Park responded, "On Sept. 30 last year, Deutsch Motors also sponsored the Seongdong District Chief's Cup, and even images were released of drinking together with the son of the Deutsch Motors chairman," adding, "It was only four days after the fire at the National Information Resources Service. Deutsch Motors is a company whose major shareholder and executive directly took part in stock manipulation, swelling their own pockets by sacrificing the hard-earned money of ordinary people. It is inappropriate to continue receiving sponsorship from and maintaining ties with such a company."
Chong explained, "That event was hosted and organized by the Seongdong District Sports Council and the Seongdong District Golf Association, and I attended as a guest," adding, "As district chief, I attend all kinds of official sports organization events."
Park then asked the other candidates, "If a company criticized by society for stock manipulation offered to sponsor, wouldn't you, as district chief, keep your distance?"
Candidate Kim Young-bae said, "I would have," and candidate Jeon Hyeon-hee said, "Of course we should return it and make sure it doesn't happen." Candidate Kim Hyeong-nam also said, "It should be returned."
Park criticized, saying, "The Democratic Party of Korea holds as a principle that crimes such as stock manipulation must be met with harsh punishment, and the president also keeps saying stock manipulation must be punished sternly as a warning to others," adding, "Saying it could be done because it is a company in the jurisdiction suggests a lack of the moral sensitivity required of an elected Democratic Party official or a very poor level of political judgment."