GNP Official Fired Over Golf Scandal

On July 24, the GNP’s ethics committee and supreme council decided to oust Hong Mun-jong, chairman of the party’s Gyeonggi Province chapter, who elicited public criticism by playing golf at a golf club in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, the area severely damaged by a heavy rain.

The party also suspended for one year the party membership of the other five officials involved in the golf scandal, including vice chairmen Kim Cheol-ki and Kim Yong-su. The party’s decision to dismiss its member, the strongest punishment assigned in the party regulations, was made seven years after the previous dismissals in which Lee Mi-gyeong and Lee Su-in, the party’s national constituency members, were ousted in October, 1999.

The GNP also decided to exhort into withdrawal from the party Lee Hyo-seon, mayor of Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, who elicited public criticism for making “disparaging remarks about the Jeolla provinces.”

The party gave a warning to Danyang County headman Kim Dong-seong, who held a drinking party in the midst of flood damage, and Jecheon mayor Eom Tae-yeong, who took a vacation during the flooding.

Sang-Rok Lee myzodan@donga.com