The chief of the main opposition Democratic Party proposed Sunday that the National Assembly form a special committee and launch an investigation into the massive leak of customers’ personal and financial data from credit card companies.

DP leader Kim Han-gil made the proposal amid a public uproar over revelations that some 20 million bank clients’ personal and financial data were leaked from credit card firms KB Kookmin, Nonghyup and Lotte. Customer fears have grown further following news reports that seven other credit card companies have also suffered data leaks.

“The personal information leak is highly likely to lead to a national disaster,” Kim said.

“All people are suffering from uneasiness” due to the data leak, he said.

Kim accused the government of acting in an incompetent and irresponsible manner, stressing that his party will try to make sure to determine what caused the data leak and who is responsible, and come up with preventive measures.
Kim urged the ruling Saenuri Party to accept his proposal for a special committee formation and a parliamentary investigation. Kim also demanded the resignation of the finance minister, and a sweeping shake-up of the Cabinet and the presidential office.

But the Saenuri Party reacted negatively to Kim’s proposal, saying it sees no need to form a special committee because the matter can be handled at standing committees and that a parliamentary probe would only fuel political wrangling between the rival parties.

The party also rejected Kim’s call for a Cabinet shake-up.

“Our top priority is to bring the situation under control,” said Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, deputy floor spokesman of the ruling party. “Making a political offensive like demanding an all-out Cabinet shakeup is not a wise way to resolve the issue.”

Later Sunday, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won ordered the establishment of a government-wide task force to take care of the data leak crisis, saying stronger measures are necessary to bring the crisis under control.

Chung issued the instruction after presiding over an emergency meeting of related ministers to check the data leak situation and efforts to prevent the spread of a round of avian influenza outbreaks.

“I am very apologetic that people’s anxiety is not going away because of the illegal leak of personal information from credit card firms and that poultry farms are suffering great pains due to the high pathogenic AI outbreak.” (Yonhap)