Song Eon-seok, the floor leader of the People Power Party, claimed on the 19th that Democratic Party floor leader Kim Byung-ki's statement that "if the position of (the Presidential Office's) Chief of General Affairs has changed, it is right for the person who has changed to appear (as a witness at the audit)," was tantamount to admitting that the reassignment of Kim Hyun-ji, the head of the Presidential Secretariat, was an attempt to evade appearing at the parliamentary audit.

Song made this remark on Facebook in response to Kim's comments regarding Kim's appearance as a witness at the parliamentary audit during a press conference on the same day.

He further criticized, "Even if they are both Chief of General Affairs, is it that Kim Hyun-ji should not appear, but the new Chief of General Affairs should?"

People Power Party Floor Leader Song Eon-seok speaking. Yonhap News. 

He also said, "I feel dumbfounded. I think we need to clarify the facts. From the time Ms. Kim was Chief of General Affairs, the Democratic Party tried to prevent her from appearing at the parliamentary audit," he claimed.

He stated, "On September 24th, the list of witnesses for the Presidential Office's parliamentary audit, which was on the agenda for the Steering Committee meeting, did not include the Chief of General Affairs, Kim. When our party's lawmakers demanded that Chief of General Affairs Kim be summoned as a witness for the parliamentary audit, Democratic Party lawmakers vehemently opposed her selection as a witness," he said.

He added, "Ultimately, Kim Byung-ki, the Chairman of the Steering Committee, postponed the decision, stating that further consultation was needed between the floor leaders. Five days later, on September 29th, Chief of General Affairs Kim was reassigned as the head of the First Presidential Secretariat," he said.

Song pointed out, "If it is right for the Chief of General Affairs to appear at the Steering Committee's parliamentary audit, then the Democratic Party should not have opposed Ms. Kim's appearance on September 24th."

Yonhap News