The rival parties engaged in heated exchanges over two high-profile incidents involving President Yoon Suk Yeol's wife, first lady Kim Keon Hee, and Moon Da-hye, daughter of former President Moon Jae-in during a parliamentary audit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police on Thursday.
The Democratic Party of Korea and other opposition lawmakers have raised concerns over first lady Kim Keon Hee's visit to Mapo Bridge on Sept. 10, an area notorious for frequent suicide attempts. The visit, made in connection with World Suicide Prevention Day, allegedly led to traffic disruptions during peak commuting hours.
Democratic Party lawmaker Rep. Lee Hae-sik criticized Kim’s visit, which took place between 6 and 7 p.m., for causing inconvenience to the public. The dispute intensified after National Police Chief Choi Ji-ho, during the National Police Agency’s previous inspection, denied any traffic controls had been implemented on Mapo Bridge during the visit.
Lee claimed that there had been police traffic controls by presenting records of 112 emergency calls from Mapo Police Station's Hongik Precinct on the day of Kim's visit, even though the police chief repeatedly said that he "called an officer and checked but he said there were no controls."
The controversy centers around whether traffic restrictions were in place not just on Mapo Bridge but also in surrounding areas such as Gangbyeonbuk-ro, a critical artery in Seoul. While Choi maintains there were no controls specifically on Mapo Bridge, he has been less clear about the surrounding roads, further fueling debate.
Choi has only stated that he does not know about traffic controls in other areas and "what the lawmakers were asking that day (of the National Police Agency audit) was whether there was control over Mapo Bridge (only)." The opposition pressed for clarity, accusing the government of concealing the facts.
The ruling People Power Party is expected to push hard on the recent drunk-driving case involving Moon Da-hye. Moon, who was involved in a collision with a taxi while changing lanes near Itaewon’s Hamilton Hotel at around 2:51 a.m. on Oct. 5, had a blood alcohol level of 0.149 percent, well above the threshold for license revocation.
Ruling party lawmakers have seized upon comments made by former President Moon during his tenure, where he advocated for stronger penalties for first-time drunk drivers. During the National Police Agency inspection, ruling party members played a video of these remarks, highlighting the irony in light of his daughter’s case.
The investigation into Moon Da-hye is ongoing, with the focus currently on the taxi driver she collided with. The driver initially indicated he would seek medical treatment, but has yet to provide police with a medical certificate. If he does, Moon could face additional charges under the Act on Special Cases concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents. Otherwise, she will only be charged with drunk driving under the Road Traffic Act.
Some lawmakers have argued that she should be charged with dangerous driving under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. This charge applies when a person causes injury to a person with a motor vehicle under circumstances that make it difficult to drive normally under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If convicted, the offense is punishable by imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than 15 years.
