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Ruling party accuses president of using semiconductor policy to aid candidate
🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Ruling party accuses president of using semiconductor policy to aid candidate

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A ruling party leader accused the president of using national industrial policy to benefit a specific presidential candidate.
  • The accusations center on the rapid advancement of a semiconductor cluster project in the Honam region, timed with the candidate's campaign events.
  • The opposition claims this political maneuvering aims to secure votes and influence the party's leadership election.

A top official from South Korea's ruling People Power Party has accused President Lee Jae-myung of leveraging national industrial policy for political gain. Floor leader Chung Jin-suk alleged that the president's push for the rapid development of a semiconductor cluster in the Honam region is a blatant effort to support Kim Min-seok, a candidate in the upcoming party leadership election.

The state's core industrial policy has been handed over as a political strategic asset for candidate Kim.

— Chung Jin-seokPeople Power Party Floor Leader Chung Jin-seok accused President Lee Jae-myung of using national policy to benefit a presidential candidate.

Chung pointed to a series of timed events, stating that President Lee's strong directive for swift execution of the Honam semiconductor project came just one day before the crucial Honam regional vote in the Democratic Party's national convention. He further claimed that the national semiconductor policy has been transformed into a political asset for Kim, who is running for party leader.

The national semiconductor policy has been transformed into a political asset for Kim, who is running for party leader.

— Chung Jin-seokChung Jin-seok elaborated on his accusation that industrial policy is being used for political advantage in the party leadership race.

"The state's core industrial policy has been handed over as a political strategic asset for candidate Kim," Chung asserted during a party meeting. He detailed a timeline: President Lee officially announced the Honam semiconductor cluster plan on June 29. The very next day, Kim announced his resignation from the prime minister's post during a final cabinet meeting. On July 6, President Lee chaired the first review meeting for the Honam semiconductor project, the same day Kim declared his candidacy for the Democratic Party leadership in Gwangju.

President Lee bestows the semiconductor gift, and candidate Kim offers the return gift of dropping the charges.

— Chung Jin-seokChung Jin-seok cynically described the alleged exchange between the president and the candidate regarding the semiconductor project and legal cases.

Chung also criticized Kim's recent remarks about his ongoing legal cases, interpreting them as a quid pro quo. "President Lee bestows the semiconductor gift, and candidate Kim offers the return gift of dropping the charges," Chung suggested, calling the president's actions an "escape from prosecution" and warning that such "reckless moves" would lead to further legal troubles for the president himself. He characterized the current administration's approach as a "speedy war to erase the president's guilt," involving hasty industrial policy implementation and disregard for the rule of law.

This is a blatant push to help Kim Min-seok.

— Chung Jin-seokChung Jin-seok directly stated his belief that the president's actions are intended to support Kim Min-seok's campaign.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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