The Prime Minister's Office has suspended an employee who questioned independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon at a press conference without disclosing their identity. The suspension took effect on September 14.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the employee has been removed from their duties effective immediately. This decision comes three days after Prime Minister Han Seung-soo expressed regret over the employee's conduct, which he deemed "inappropriate," during a government question session on September 11.
The employee attended Han's press conference on September 10, related to the government question session, and asked a question regarding the Prime Minister's investigative authority. When Han inquired about the employee's affiliation, they identified themselves as a "regular citizen," sparking controversy.
During the subsequent government question session, Prime Minister Han stated, "It was inappropriate for a public official to respond as a 'regular citizen' without clearly identifying themselves at an opposition lawmaker's press conference, leading to unnecessary misunderstandings and controversy." He also apologized for the incident and promised follow-up measures.
Prime Minister Han reiterated, "I have already apologized clearly during the last government question session, and I feel sorry for both the public and lawmaker Han Dong-hoon. While this was an individual act, we will implement necessary measures to prevent a recurrence."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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