Construction and Transportation Minister Kang Don Seok is said to have offered his resignation in response to allegations he illegally used his influence to get his son a job at the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority. The country's anti-corruption commission says it received a tip that Kang had asked an interviewer for the favor in January of last year, and that parts of the allegations were serious enough for the questions to be handed over to the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI).
Two months prior to being hired for the authority's "Education and Medical Team," Kang's son applied for the job himself and was eliminated in the review process. Naturally there are going to be suspicions when it turns out he applied again and received the highest interview scores from among the three candidates. Kang says he asked for no special favors. We hope to see BAI ascertain the facts with a thorough investigation. One of the major "accomplishments" of the current government was its pledge to uproot the practice of misuse of personal influence.
Another allegation is that back in 1999, when Kang was the head of the Incheon International Airport Authority, his sister-in-law and a high school friend purchased nearby land. It was after the announcement about Yeongjong and Muui being developed into a tourism zone that land prices went up. The purchases might have nothing to do with Kang, just as he says. But he is the Minister of Construction and Transportation and the people are very interested in seeing that no suspicions are left unanswered.
High-ranking public officials need to remember the saying, "don't adjust your hat in the shade of a plum tree" (Meaning "don't engage in activity that causes suspicion"). They are out of touch with the changed times if they think they are being measured by harsh standards. The people have seen high-ranking officials use information or influence to engage in speculative investment for their own profit all too often, and so they at once feel rage and demand clean behavior. Public officials need to rise to those expectations and leave public service if they cannot.
The Hankyoreh, 28 March 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] The Behavior of Public Officials |
