President-elect Park Geun-hye is collaborating with Cheong Wa Dae in vetting her personnel selections, her spokesman Park Sun-kyoo said Sunday, amid speculation that a dedicated team will be established within her secretariat once the transition committee is launched.

“We need to take care of vetting, but at present we are collaborating with Cheong Wa Dae’s verification team. Cheong Wa Dae tends to have files on noteworthy individuals, and cooperation is provided as needed,” Park Sun-kyoo told reporters on Sunday. He added that such cooperation is provided regardless of the president-elect’s party affiliation saying that it was an “essential part of the handover.”

In a related but separate measure, Park and her aides are also said to be reviewing plans to establish a vetting team within the secretariat. According to reports, the team could also receive support from a number of government agencies including the police and the National Tax Service.

If the speculation proves accurate, the personnel from the government agencies will be responsible for reviewing taxation, criminal and military service records of the candidates for various government positions.

Speculation over such stringent personnel vetting measures is fueled in part by the controversial selections for the transition committee.

Although the process of forming the transition committee is far from over, a number of those selected for various roles have created controversy, and found to have been involved in illegal activities in the past.

Neowiz Games CEO Youn Sang-kyu’s company has been found to have received an administrative order from the Fair Trade Commission for irregularities in a subcontracting deal, while Ecomom Korea president Ha Ji-won had been penalized for receiving money while serving on the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Both Youn and Ha have been named to the special committee on youth issues.

While not implicated in illegal activities, the choice of Yoon Chang-jung as her chief spokesman has been met with severe criticism from the main opposition Democratic United Party, and concern from within the Saenuri Party due to his strongly worded criticism of those associated with the progressive bloc.

During the presidential campaign, Yoon referred to former Prime Minister Chung Un-chan as a “political prostitute” for endorsing DUP’s Moon Jae-in, while referring to Moon and his supporters as “anti-South Korean forces.”

In addition, senior vice chairman for the committee for social unity Kim Kyung-jae has been accused of threatening a broadcaster.

“There is no need when the whole world knows that MBN is a well known opposition-supporting broadcaster. We will provide good treatment on our own accord,” Kim said in a phone interview with the broadcaster after accusing MBN of biased reporting.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)