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An opposition lawmaker on Monday chastised Safety Minister nominee Park In-yong for playing golf two days after North Korea’s deadly shelling of a front-line South Korean island, saying he had “acted inappropriately during a time of national crisis.”
The former Navy admiral had used a military-owned golf facility on Nov. 25, 2010, after Pyongyang’s shelling of Yeonpeyong Island left four dead, according to Rep. Lim Su-kyung of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy.
In South Korea, golf is considered a luxury enjoyed mostly by high-end society, and the public often frowns upon playing it during times of crisis. In the wake of the tragic ferry sinking in April that left nearly 300 dead, the government prohibited its employees from playing golf.
The revelation by Lim is unlikely to turn the public opinion against him by itself, but Park is already being accused of various misdeeds like falsifying a contract during a real estate deal, receiving income tax deductions and refusing to pay fines for traffic law violations.
All these allegations could turn the public’s opinion against him with the confirmation hearing at the National Assembly coming up, although President Park Geun-hye does not need parliamentary consent to finalize the appointments.
Playing golf during desperate times can be damaging especially for public officials. Home Affairs Minister Chong Jong-sub had his reputation tarnished when it was revealed he played golf while all the civil servants were put on emergency alert after North Korea sank the warship Cheonan.
According to Rep. Lim, Park’s wife had also played golf just two days after the warship was torpedoed by the North.
Lim said it was not appropriate to use the military golf facility when the entire country was in a state of emergency, although Park had not been serving as a Navy official at the time of Yeonpyeong attack. “I cannot but question whether Park is qualified to head the Ministry of Public Safety and Security,” she said.
By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heradcorp.com)
The former Navy admiral had used a military-owned golf facility on Nov. 25, 2010, after Pyongyang’s shelling of Yeonpeyong Island left four dead, according to Rep. Lim Su-kyung of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy.
In South Korea, golf is considered a luxury enjoyed mostly by high-end society, and the public often frowns upon playing it during times of crisis. In the wake of the tragic ferry sinking in April that left nearly 300 dead, the government prohibited its employees from playing golf.
The revelation by Lim is unlikely to turn the public opinion against him by itself, but Park is already being accused of various misdeeds like falsifying a contract during a real estate deal, receiving income tax deductions and refusing to pay fines for traffic law violations.
All these allegations could turn the public’s opinion against him with the confirmation hearing at the National Assembly coming up, although President Park Geun-hye does not need parliamentary consent to finalize the appointments.
Playing golf during desperate times can be damaging especially for public officials. Home Affairs Minister Chong Jong-sub had his reputation tarnished when it was revealed he played golf while all the civil servants were put on emergency alert after North Korea sank the warship Cheonan.
According to Rep. Lim, Park’s wife had also played golf just two days after the warship was torpedoed by the North.
Lim said it was not appropriate to use the military golf facility when the entire country was in a state of emergency, although Park had not been serving as a Navy official at the time of Yeonpyeong attack. “I cannot but question whether Park is qualified to head the Ministry of Public Safety and Security,” she said.
By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heradcorp.com)
