Lee Sang-il, the People Power Party candidate for Yongin mayor, went on the offensive with "allegations of a fake address registration," raising questions about Democratic Party of Korea candidate Hyun Geun-taek's residence and asset disclosure during a TV debate. The process of settling a past sexual harassment case also came under scrutiny.
At the Yongin mayoral candidates' debate on the 26th, Lee asked Hyun, "What is the street number of your address on Giheungyeok-ro?" Hyun replied, "I don't know my home address exactly."
Lee then asked additional questions about Hyun's current housing arrangement and asset disclosure. Hyun explained that Hyun is currently living on a monthly rent, and Lee pointed out that the asset disclosure does not show any information related to a lease deposit and said further explanation is needed. Lee pressed, "Did you just list an address? Isn't this a fake address registration?" and Hyun denied it, saying, "No."
Hyun's actual residential history also became an issue during the debate. Lee Sang-il said, "In the opening remarks, Hyun said Hyun has been active in Yongin since 2006, but in a past interview with media in Seongnam, Hyun said Hyun has been paying property tax in Seongnam since 2006, and two years ago, when running in the general election, Hyun also said Hyun lived in Seongnam," adding, "When serving as Suwon's second vice mayor, didn't you commute from Bundang?" Hyun answered, "Yes."
When Lee followed by asking, "How long did you actually live in Yongin over the past four years?" Hyun pushed back, asking, "Why are you talking only about four years?"
In closing, Lee said, "Someone who doesn't even know their own home address is running to be Yongin mayor," and criticized, "In a situation where it's unclear when and how long you lived in Yongin over the past four years, how can you properly understand residents' difficulties?"
The process of settling Hyun's past sexual harassment case also became an issue. Lee asked Hyun, "Why did the victim withdraw the complaint?" and Hyun answered to the effect that there had been a settlement.
Lee then asked, "Was money or valuables delivered?" and Hyun replied to the effect that "I will keep it private. If it is made public, the terms of the settlement could be broken."
Immediately after the debate, Spokesperson Kim Do-hyung of the Lee Sang-il camp issued a commentary, saying, "It is shocking that Hyun says Hyun doesn't even know Hyun's Yongin address," and pointed out, "The address, the amount of the monthly rent deposit, and whether the asset disclosure omitted anything must be clearly explained." Kim added, "Hyun must also disclose when the address was moved from Seongnam to Yongin and the facts that prove it is not a fake address registration," and said, "Yongin residents also have a right to know how the sexual harassment case was smoothed over."
Regarding the controversy raised in the TV debate, an official from Hyun Geun-taek's camp told ChosunBiz, "The home address issue is a far-fetched nitpick not worth responding to." On the sexual harassment controversy, the official said, "The sexual harassment controversy raised by Lee is not true."