South Korean Prime Minister Nominee Under Fire for Media Intimidation & Avoiding Active Military Service

Is this really the best that the ruling Korean government can provide for a Prime Minister nominee?  A guy who is accused of intimidating journalists, avoiding active military service, and plagiarizing his thesis?

President Park Geun-hye’s pick for prime minister came under fire from opposition lawmakers Tuesday as they accused him of controlling the freedom of the press and lying in order to avoid active military service.

Lee Wan-koo, a former floor leader of Park’s ruling Saenuri Party, has been under pressure to withdraw his name from consideration for the country’s No. 2 political job following allegations he exerted influence on the media to stop them from carrying negative reports about him.

He also allegedly suggested at a recent lunch with reporters that he could influence personnel reshuffles at media companies.

His reported comments have sparked national outrage in a country where people fought past military-backed governments to gain press freedom.

“I apologize a hundred times,” Lee said during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly. “I apologize once again to the relevant members of the press and the press in general for my inappropriate behavior, and I am deeply remorseful.”

Rep. Kim Gyeong-hyeop of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) raised fresh allegations that Lee threatened to make a phone call to editors if a reporter published negative articles about him.  (…………………)

During the hearing, Rep. Jin Sun-mee of NPAD accused the nominee of lying in order to avoid active military service.

Lee completed his mandatory military service in reservist duty after being diagnosed with a syndrome that can lead to flat feet.

Rep. Jin claimed, however, that Lee was deemed fit for active service following his first physical exam in 1971 and only later reclassified according to the results of an additional physical exam he took in 1975.

She also raised suspicions that the nominee could have used his power to alter the results of the latter exam after having passed the prestigious state civil service exam a year earlier.

Lee held up several X-ray photos which he said showed the condition of his leg in 1964, 1975 and as recently as 2009. He declined, however, to comment on the first physical exam he took in 1971.

The nominee is also accused of speculating in real estate, plagiarizing his doctoral thesis and intentionally omitting parts of his annual wealth report.

He acknowledged that his thesis did not meet the strict ethical standards of today when it comes to citations, but argued that he still wrote the paper independently using his own data and analytical methods.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link, but President Park must view this guy as a real loyalist to put him up as a nominee despite all the baggage he brings.