Saenuri wary of negative public sentiment in Chungcheong

As so-called ‘Sung Wan-jong list’ suggesting that Keangnam Enterprise Chairman Sung gave political funds to power elite of the pro-Park Geun-hye faction was published on Friday, both the ruling and opposition parties became highly wary of the situation. Sung was a figure with a broad human network in the Chungcheong provinces encompassing those with both the ruling and opposition parties, and built up friendship of various levels with politicians from the region through an organization called the "Chungcheong Forum."

Ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers hailing from the Chungcheong provinces were paying keen attention to what impact the backlash of Sung’s death and the "Sung Wan-jong list" will have on public sentiment in Chungcheong. They fear that public sentiment that “They barely managed to have the prime minister (Lee Wan-koo) from Chungcheong, but the government launched investigation by picking an entrepreneur from Chungcheong who made his own fortune as the primary target, to cause him to commit suicide” might spread in the region.”

“As I came to my constituency here, people were talking about Chairman Sung whenever they have gathering,” said a lawmaker. “I will have to wait several more days to see how public sentiment will change.” In contrast, another lawmaker commented on the situation in the local community, saying, “After news on his suicide spread, the prevailing mood was that people felt "sorry" for him, but after a list of "bribery takers" from him was made public, (people’s view towards him) seems to have become more complex.”

Lawmakers with the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy hailing from Chungcheong said they have had some relationship with the late entrepreneur, but stressed that their ties with the late entrepreneur was not very deep.”

Another lawmaker said, “We only exchanged greetings once in a while. When he called me (to make a political donation) in the early days of the 19th General Assembly, I declined, saying, ‘You don’t need to make donations because you are also a lawmaker.’” The other lawmaker said, “I participated in a friendship club with him, and he made a political donation to me,. Other than this, we were not close enough to build special friendship,” in trying to distance himself from Sung.

Several lawmakers from Chungcheong flatly denied his alleged connection with Chairman Sung. Lawmaker ‘said, “I am not a big shot who Chairman Sung would pay attention.” Another lawmaker refuted suspicion by saying, “(When a lawmaker) meets with an entrepreneur, he gets extremely vigilant. There cannot be a matter involving financial gifts (trade) with Chairman Sung at all.”

Some raised complaints against prosecutors’ investigation by picking a specific target. “Public sentiment in the region is not very positive “The government elevated expectations by naming a person hailing from Chungcheong the prime minister, and how they can (investigate) into a company that is not that big in size,” in expressing regret.

mindy@donga.com