Cho Seung-rae, secretary-general of the Democratic Party of Korea, defended Kim Yong-nam, the party's candidate for the Pyeongtaek-B by-election, on Thursday over allegations that Kim ran a loan business under another person's name, saying "we have received all the explanatory materials."
"The issue comes down to whether it was under another person's name and the matter of dividends," Cho said on SBS Radio's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show" on the same day. "In any case, it is clear that it was not registered under a borrowed name from his own end, so this should not be a point of contention," he added. He also said the candidate "proved through bank transaction records that he received no remittances or dividends from the profits."
Regarding a recording released suggesting that Kim had registered family members as employees of the loan firm allegedly run under another person's name and paid them salaries, Cho said, "Those raising the allegations are making claims based on a recording from eight years ago, but they have not submitted evidence to substantiate that recording."
On Democratic Party Daegu mayoral candidate Kim Boo-kyum's request the previous day for the government and ruling party to exercise self-restraint following Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin's apology over the controversial "5.18 Tank Day" marketing campaign, Cho said, "I think it is something that can reasonably be raised." At the same time, he said, "We must continue to raise issues about management problems or distorted views of history," adding that the party's recommendation to refrain from visiting Starbucks "remains in place as of now."
On former President Park Geun-hye's appearance on the campaign trail in support of People Power Party candidates, Cho said, "Public views will form in various ways," and assessed that "I do not think it will have a major impact on the election."
