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Two lawmakers are embroiled in controversies over their alleged abuse of power and insulting of a citizen.
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| Rep. Kim Jung-ho of the Democratic Party of Korea |
When an airport worker asked him to show his boarding pass and ID, he showed his resident registration card through transparent plastic in his wallet. The worker asked him to take the card out to show it, but Kim refused, reportedly saying, "Why do I have to take it out? I've never had to do so before."
He told the worker that he is a member of the National Assembly's transport committee and asked the worker to prove that aviation rules require passengers to take out their ID cards.
Other colleagues brought a regulation book and tried to find the rule, and Kim allegedly cursed at them and shouted, "Do you think you're so powerful to bully customers? Bring the person in charge." He also allegedly told his aides to call the Korean Airport Corp. (KAC) head, and took photos of the workers.
He allegedly left the scene without taking out his ID card to the end.
Following media reports written based on witnesses' testimonies, Kim said it was himself who had been abused.
Kim claimed the worker demanded the card submission high-handedly and failed to show the relevant regulation, so he protested as a representative of citizens who have experienced unkind airport staff. Denying he had cursed at the workers, Kim said he only raised his voice and later told the KAC chief to take proper action on workers who mistreat customers.
According to the regulation, however, airport staff must examine the card, see and touch it directly, to check the card is not a forgery.
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| Rep. Min Kyung-wook of the Liberty Korea Party |
A member of a regional online community wrote Thursday that she met Min at a bus stop the previous night.
Min asked how she was. As she didn't reply, Min asked again, and she replied, "I'm doing okay under this administration." Min was a key aide to former President Park Geun-hye.
Min then allegedly turned his head and spat.
She felt insulted and asked, "Did you just spit while talking with me?" and Min allegedly said she had acted perversely.
Min said the allegation was a misunderstanding.
"When I asked her whether it was okay, she said she was fine under this administration. So I thought she didn't like me and I just turned around," Min said in a release. "I did spit, but I did so because of snot from rhinitis. Then she asked me, 'Did you spit?' so I said yes.
"If I really meant to insult her, I would spit without turning my head. It must be from a misunderstanding, and I was embarrassed, too."
