Kim Eun-hye, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, raised allegations of a 'blacklist' during a National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on October 7. She disclosed documents purportedly created during the Moon Jae-in administration that involve private real estate experts, sparking a heated exchange between the ruling and opposition parties.
According to Kim, the document, titled 'Status of Real Estate Experts,' was prepared in November 2019 under the direction of the Ministry's Housing Policy Division and lists the names of 19 private real estate experts.
Kim accused the previous Democratic Party government of conducting illegal surveillance, stating, "This is a blacklist of civilians and an act of illegal surveillance carried out by the Democratic Party government." She added, "All of these individuals opposed the Democratic government's real estate policies," claiming that the report illegally detailed the acquisition processes and asset holdings of the 19 experts.
She also raised suspicions about the involvement of then-Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mi, asserting, "There are indications that high-ranking officials, including Kim Hyun-mi, were informed about this matter." Kim urged Hong Ji-seon, the current Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, to identify those who exchanged the controversial documents.
In response, Bok Gi-wang, a Democratic Party lawmaker and the ruling party's secretary, countered Kim's claims, stating, "You are presenting documents of unknown origin as if they are confirmed facts on the first day of the audit. This is turning the audit into a battleground for political conflict."
He emphasized that the Land Committee is a standing committee focused on public welfare, suggesting that any allegations should be addressed through discussions between the committee chair and party secretaries, rather than through one-sided claims. He criticized the use of parliamentary privilege to make irresponsible statements that undermine the authority of the audit.
In defense of Kim Eun-hye's position, Kim Mi-ae, another lawmaker from the People Power Party, stated that the audit is a platform for legitimate criticism of government policies and that ministers have an obligation to verify and respond to public concerns.
The exchange led to raised voices and disruptions in the meeting room, prompting Yoo Ui-dong, the chair of the Land Committee from the People Power Party, to intervene and restore order.
Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Jong-gun also criticized the opposition's approach, saying, "Isn't the Moon Jae-in government a previous administration? Are we supposed to bring up issues from the Park Geun-hye administration for this audit? Should we go back to the Park Chung-hee era? This is excessive. The term 'surveillance of citizens' is an extreme expression. It should only be used when the facts are confirmed and the public agrees with it."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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