Search Results for: tara o

“Meritorious Persons” from the Gwangju Uprising Receive Far More Compensation Than Korean War Veterans

| February 16, 2019

Dr. Tara O over at the East Asia Research Center has another very interesting article published about how government compensation payments to “meritorious persons” from the Gwangju Uprising are so much higher than those given to Korean and Vietnam War veterans:

Youth march while holding sign:  “Cancel the 5.18 extra points for civil servant employment”

The Gwangju Incident that began on May 18, 1980 is referred to as “5.18” in Korea.  Those designated as 5.18 Yugogja (5.18 “Meritorious Persons”) and their families receive extensive benefits from the South Korean government.  Unlike Korean War and Vietnam War veterans, whose status is determined by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans, the 5.18 Yugongja is determined in Gwangju.  While technically it falls under the Prime Minister’s office, de facto, the process and the decisions are made at the local government level.  However, it is the national government that pays the benefits.

East Asia Research Center

Below is an excerpt of a chart that shows the differences in compensation. Click the link to see the full chart:

Besides the extreme difference in compensation here is what makes this issue even more controversial is that the lists keeps growing. Plus politically connected people who were not even at Gwangju are now being selected as “meritorious persons” and getting the free cash and benefits:

For an event that occurred 39 years ago, it seems the number of 5.18 Yugongja should fall over time.  However, the number has been increasing, especially in recent years. In 1990, the first year the 5.18 Yugongja designation occurred, the number was 2,224.  As of August 2018, the number was 4,403.  In 2017, the number was 4,377, so it has increased by 26 in 8 months.  How is this possible?

It includes even those who were not present in Gwangju.  National Assemblyman Lee Hae-chan, the leader of the Deoburreo Minju Party, publicly admitted, “I became a Gwangju democracy Movement Yugongja, although I hadn’t even gone to Gwangju (then).” (0:30).  Lee Hae-chan was the former Prime Minister under Rho Moo-hyun and Education Minister under Kim Dae-jung. At least 30-40 other politicians are thought to be designated as 5.18 Yugongja.

This has caused conservative politicians to demand the release of the names of this growing list, but unlike the list of Korean and Vietnam War veterans this list is being kept secret. I think it is fair to say that certain people do not want the list released because it will show how it has become a way to reward politically connected people, thus why it keeps growing.

This “meritorious person” list reminds me of the National Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation where politically connected people are given generous stipends for this medal.

I am trying to think of an equivalent of politically connected corruption in the U.S. using a national medal of designation and I can’t think of one. The Presidential Medal of Freedom has long been given to politically connected people, but they are not getting huge payouts like in the ROK. Can anyone think of equivalent in the U.S. where politically connected people are getting huge payouts for an award or designation?

Why is Representative Sohn Hye-won Not Being Prosecuted for Corruption?

| February 12, 2019

Dr. Tara O has an article published over at the East Asia Research Council that digs into the Sohn Hye-won Real Estate Scandal. ROK Heads may remember that Sohn is the ruling party parliament member who used insider knowledge to benefit financially in real estate transactions in Mokpo.

Figure 1.  Properties in Mokpo bought in the names of Sohn Hye-won’s relatives & associates; 20 properties are shown here, but the number is at least 25 as of 2019-1-19.

Sohn’s supporters ask what is wrong with her buying properties and making a profit?  Buying properties and making profit is normal under free market capitalism. What is wrong, and illegal, is benefiting from privileged insider information, the abuse of authority, and using false names to purchase properties.

1.  Sohn Hye-won is on the National Assembly’s Culture and Tourism Committee (국회 문화체육관광위) as the ruling party’s assistant administrator.  As such, she had access to information about which areas would be designated as “cultural heritage” zones. She also has influence on which areas may receive the designation.  Such a designation usually increases the value of properties in the zone. Using insider knowledge to gain in itself is illegal, but it also is an abuse of her position and authority. (…….)

Using another person’s name to buy property, open a bank account, or otherwise conduct transactions in another person’s name are illegal in South Korea.  It is even worse when a lawmaker breaks the law.

Regarding the property that is in the name of Sohn Hye-won’s nephew (her younger brother’s son), the nephew did not even know there was a property under his name, according to the Kakaotalk chat between him and his mother.  It stated “I invested in a property?  A mere 23 year old conscript in the military?  I don’t know anything about real estate. I supposedly invested in real estate?  Me? It was given to me?” He was serving in the military at that time and only found out when the news broke.

East Asia Research Council

I have always found it interesting how the Moon administration is busy throwing every conservative or even liberal rivals into jail, but for some reason are not going after Sohn.

So what leverage does she have that they are not going after her?

Well Dr. O has found out that Sohn is close friends with Moon Jae-in’s wife Kim Jung-sook since they went to high school together. This close connection led the Moon administration to give the National Medal of the Order of Merit for National Foundation to Sohn’s deceased father in 2017.

Sohn’s father served in the Communist Youth League opposed to the Republic of Korea, but regardless was recognized by President Moon with the medal. This is more than a medal though, recipients and their family members receive a large financial stipend from the government:

This designation not only offers a recognition and national gratitude, but also allows Sohn Yong-woo’s wife to receive 1,518,000 won (~$1,400) per month plus other benefits from the government.  It also provides  1,483,000 won ($1,325) per month and other benefits, such as priority in housing, education, and government jobs, to the family members other than the spouse, which includes Sohn Hye-won and her five siblings plus all of their respective children (Sohn Yong-woo’s children and grandchildren). 

You can read much, much more at the link, but what else I found of interest is that Sohn owns a powerful marketing company. It makes me wonder how involved this marketing company was in creating the many false narratives used to take down former President Park Geun-hye and promote President Moon?

Journalist’s Question to President Moon About Economy Causes Controversy

| January 14, 2019

Over at the East Asia Research Center, Dr. Tara O has a posting up about a question to President Moon asked by reporter Kim Ye-ryeoung (김예령) who works Kyonggi Broadcast Corporation. Some believe this question is inappropriate to ask a President:

Reporter Kim Ye-ryeoung asked:

[You said you will] create a society in which a dragon emerges from a sewer [rags to riches], but I believe you know well that in reality, the public opinion is chilly.  The reality is that the economy is stagnant. The people are suffering a lot. They have not given up hope, but they’re very anxious about the future. Related to this, Mr. president, you have emphasized ‘I’m looking at it very seriously.’ Despite this, Mr. President, [you] have not altered the basic direction of the policy and have not changed, and I’d like to know the reasons.  I’m asking directly, where does that confidence come from and what is the basis for it?

President Moon replied:

I’ve spent the last 30 minutes of today’s press conference explaining why we need the current economic policy and that the sustainable growth is impossible without changing the structure, including polarization [the gap increasing between the high income and the low income groups] and inequality. For that we need to take whatever supplemental measures we need to take, but I already amply said why. On the contrary, we need to continue the current policy. I don’t feel we need a new answer.

Journalist Kim’s question has caused a controversy in South Korea.  
Various comments online have attacked her for being “rude” to ask such questions to President Moon while others cheered her for asking what has been on their minds.  Here are some responses:

East Asia Research Center

You can read the responses at the link, but the usual suspects have criticized her by calling her “drunk”, “defiant”, “incompetent”, and that she needs to “study more”. I don’t see what the problem is with asking the President why he won’t change a policy that is not working. I think the real anger is that since KBC is a privately owned news network the Korean left has been able to take control of it like they did with the public broadcasters.