An employee of the Office of the Prime Minister posed as a reporter and asked aggressive questions during a news conference by independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, only to have the person's identity revealed. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said, "If there are any inappropriate aspects, we will handle them strictly."
On the 10th, Han wrote on Facebook, "I held a news conference for reporters at the National Assembly today," adding, "But someone asked questions defending Prime Minister Han Seong-sook and attacking me."
Han continued, "I don't usually ask which outlet a reporter belongs to, but the content and aggressiveness of the questions were unusual, so I asked which outlet the reporter was from," adding, "Then the person answered that they were a member of the public and kept asking questions."
Han said, "As it happened, I checked and found the person was a Director Lee from the Office of the Prime Minister," adding, "The person pretended to be a reporter and then lied that they were a member of the public. It's truly absurd and bizarre. I will hold them accountable."
In fact, at the news conference Han held at the main building of the National Assembly that day, a man asked, "You posted on Facebook today that the prime minister is directing an investigation; do you actually think it's an order to direct an investigation?" In response to a question from an official from the prime minister's office, Han said, "In response to a question from Representative Lee Hae-sik of the Democratic Party yesterday, (Prime Minister Han) said he would 'order the relevant agencies to conduct a strict check.'" The man said, "So (the prime minister) ordered a check." When Han asked the man, "Which outlet are you with?" the man answered, "a member of the public."
It was an unprecedented incident in which an employee of the prime minister's office impersonated "a member of the public" and asked questions at a lawmaker's news conference held in the main building of the National Assembly. In the subsequent interpellation session, Han asked Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, "An employee of the prime minister's office lied that they were a member of the public and asked questions defending the prime minister at my news conference. Is that appropriate?"
Prime Minister Han answered, "If there are any inappropriate aspects, we will handle them strictly," adding, "If true, I don't think it was appropriate. We will see what measures are needed."
When Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Park Ji-won gave the prime minister a chance to explain, Prime Minister Han said, "Representative Han was taking questions and answers in a public place, and it seems a passing staffer asked, 'Why is yesterday's prime ministerial instruction an order to direct an investigation?'" adding, "To that, when asked 'Who are you?' it seems the person answered something like 'I am an ordinary citizen.'"
Prime Minister Han added, "If asking a question while passing by in a public place is surveillance, then aren't we being surveilled at every moment?" adding, "I think 'surveillance' is an excessive term."
After the plenary session, Han also wrote on Facebook, "This is not something a director at the prime minister's office could do alone without orders from higher-ups, and other staff were also on site. Don't try to play it down," adding, "The prime minister should impose stern discipline on the director at the prime minister's office and take responsibility as well."