The Democratic Party has initiated a response to allegations of illegal recording and leaking of a confidential government report on U.S. investments, with Jang Cheol-min, the party's representative on the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, and Energy Committee, participating as a complainant in the investigation.
On the morning of October 21, Jang appeared at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul to provide testimony regarding the allegations of recording and leaking related to U.S. investments.
Before the investigation began, Jang spoke with reporters, expressing concerns that the leak could harm national interests and urging the police to conduct a swift investigation.
"This incident is a very serious issue in terms of national interest. While I do not know when the exact results will come out, I hope they will be swift and thorough," Jang stated, calling for prompt action from law enforcement.
He emphasized that the leak involves a massive investment of $350 billion of taxpayer money, and noted that the opposition People Power Party has also agreed to a proactive investigation, reiterating his call for a quick police response.
Jang also expressed concern that the government might adopt a passive attitude in future reports due to fears of further leaks, particularly regarding an additional report scheduled for the end of this year.
"What we are worried about at the party level is that if such issues recur, the government may fail to provide proper reports to the National Assembly. We are concerned that the government might hide and obscure important information in its reporting process," he said, asserting that there will be another report before the end of the year. "The government must ensure that future confidential reports to the National Assembly committees are thorough," he added.
The allegations of illegal recording and leaking of the confidential report on U.S. investments arose during a closed briefing held by the government on September 22 for the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, and Energy Committee and the Finance and Economy Committee.
Following the government's briefing, some media outlets reported in detail on the U.S. investment matters, leading to suspicions that a participant in the closed meeting may have recorded the briefing and leaked it to the press.
In response, the Democratic Party vowed to identify the leaker, citing the National Assembly Act, which prohibits the disclosure of closed meeting contents and allows for disciplinary action by the Ethics Committee against lawmakers who disclose such information, as well as provisions in the U.S. Investment Act regarding confidentiality.
Kim Min-seok, the party's leader, condemned the leak, stating that information related to U.S. investments, which involves national interests and public concerns, has been compromised, calling it an "unacceptable criminal act akin to industrial espionage or spying."
In light of the Democratic Party's strong reaction, the People Power Party also supported a resolution calling for an investigation during the full meeting of the Industry, Trade, and Energy Committee on September 23.
Kim Seong-won, the chair of the committee from the People Power Party, explained the rationale for the resolution, stating, "This resolution aims to urge investigative agencies to clarify the circumstances surrounding the recording and leaking of confidential information related to U.S. investments that occurred during our committee's closed session in September and to hold those responsible accountable."
The resolution, drafted in the name of the Industry, Trade, and Energy Committee, defines the leak of confidential U.S. investment information as a serious violation of national interests and demands severe punishment for the leaker and immediate action from investigative agencies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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