Text messages exchanged between People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Yong-geun and former Korea Football Association Chairman Chung Mong-gyu were captured by reporters during a National Assembly hearing Thursday, drawing immediate scrutiny. In one message, Yoon wrote to Chung: "Chairman, I received a call from sunbae Jeong on Wednesday. I'm sorry I wasn't able to show you more consideration." Chung replied: "Thank you for your concern. Rather than a setting like this, I'll pay my respects somewhere else."
The exchange drew an immediate challenge from the opposition. Rep. Lee Jae-jeong, chair of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asked Chung whether he had contacted committee members to lobby them ahead of the hearing, and whether he had tried to reach them through various channels after failing to get through directly.
When Lee pressed Chung to identify who "sunbae Jeong" referred to, Chung said he could not disclose the name as it was a private matter. He acknowledged the messages had been inappropriate given the potential for misunderstanding ahead of the hearing, apologized to the public and said he had not made any special requests or sought any favors in connection with the hearing.
Yoon said he did not believe the texts had compromised the hearing or weakened his questioning, adding that he had proceeded with his prepared questions and did not understand why the matter was being raised on the hearing floor. Democratic Party lawmaker Noh Jong-myeon said his office had looked into the matter after suspicions emerged that the messages amounted to interference with the hearing's proceedings. Noh then pressed Chung directly on whether "sunbae Jeong" was former presidential chief of staff Jeong Jin-seok. Chung replied that he would not comment as it involved a private matter. When Noh asked again — "Is it not him? Or can you just not say?" — Chung said only: "I cannot say."
kty@heraldcorp.com
