A low-level Cheong Wa Dae staffer was fired on Wednesday after he was found to have inappropriately attended a meeting between Yoo Jeong-bok, a ruling party candidate for Incheon mayor, and representatives of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, one of two major labor umbrella groups here.

“In regard to a news report that Kim Young-gon, an administrator at the Office of Presidential Secretary for Employment and Labor, has attended a meeting between Yoo and the FKTU yesterday afternoon, (Cheong Wa Dae) has held him responsible for his improper conduct and accepted his resignation this afternoon,” said presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook.

Min’s briefing came after reports that accused Cheong Wa Dae of supporting Yoo. Yoo is the former minister of security and administration appointed by President Park Geun-hye last year. He stepped down from his post to run for the mayoral election on June 4.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)