Steamy talk lands GNP lawmaker in hot water
Kang Yong-seok
Kang Yong-seok, 41, a first-term lawmaker representing the Mapo District of Seoul, allegedly made remarks, including one involving President Lee Myung-bak, at a dinner last week with about 20 university students, about half of them female.
The GNP leadership has ordered its ethics committee to conduct an urgent probe, vowing to expel Kang from the party if the allegations are confirmed.
After a national university debate competition, Kang had a dinner at a restaurant near Hongik University around 7 p.m. on Friday. Students who were at the dinner told the JoongAng Ilbo Monday that Kang had made what they considered as crude comments.
"The debates judges actually do not listen to the debates. They just look at the faces of the participants," Kang was quoted as saying by one person who attended the dinner. "I will give you a recommendation on how to form a good panel. Two ugly persons and one pretty person are the best.
That will make the judges pay attention."
The lawmaker said women who graduate from prestigious schools often refuse to do so because of their pride.
"His remarks gave an impression of sexual favors in return for career advancement," said a student who was at the dinner. "I felt very uncomfortable listening to him, and you can imagine how upsetting it was for her."
Another student also complained. "I attended the debate as a part of self-development effort. But, Kang said the judges made their evaluations not based on performance, but appearances, and it is a great disappointment. I felt insulted."
Kang also reportedly made inappropriate remarks to a female student about her Blue House visit last year. Kang had accompanied her during the visit.
"At the time, the president only looked at you," Kang was quoted as telling the student. "All men are the same. They all like pretty women. If the president's wife was not there, he probably would have asked for your phone number."
Kang dismissed the allegations. "I did not say anything that made the students feel uncomfortable." he said. "Democratic Party Representative Jeon Hyun-jeui joined the dinner about five minutes later after my arrival. She knows what happened."
Jeon, however, said she arrived at the dinner about one hour later. "I had no chance to talk to Kang directly," she said. "We drank during the dinner, but Kang was not drunk."
Another student also said Jeon came about an hour later.
Facing a scandal which will likely deal a blow to the party ahead of next Wednesday's by-elections, the GNP vowed a probe and promised to take
stern action. GNP Chairman Ahn Sang-soo ordered the party's ethics committee to launch an urgent investigation into the scandal.
"If the report proves to be true, we will expel Kang from the party," GNP spokeswoman Cho Hae-jin quoted Ahn as saying.
GNP's female lawmakers also issued a statement, demanding the party leadership take the strongest punishment if the probe finds Kang responsible
for what he had said.
The expulsion is the heaviest punishment under the GNP constitution and rules. To kick a lawmaker out, two thirds of the ethics committee must approve the measure and two thirds of the GNP lawmakers must uphold the decision.
Kang passed the bar in 1991 and practiced as an attorney since 1997. In 2004, he ran for the National Assembly on the GNP ticket but lost. He made a second bid in 2008 and won the seat.
The Democratic Party condemned Kang, demanding him to give up his legislative post.
"It is the least that the GNP can do to show respect to the people by kicking Kang out of the GNP," said DP spokesman Woo Sang-ho. "When will it be possible for the Grand National Party to escape from its embarrassing nickname of 'Sex National Party'? The future of the ruling party is simply deplorable."
It is not the first time that the conservative ruling party has been embarrassed by a sex scandal. In 2006, Choi Yeon-hee, who was a three-term lawmaker and GNP secretary-general, was accused of sexually molesting a female journalist at a dinner. While holding onto his lawmaker seat, Choi left the GNP in the aftermath of the scandal and finished his term. He was reelected as an independent lawmaker representing Donghae and Samcheok in Gwangwon in 2008 elections.
By Ser Myo-ja
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강용석 한나라당(41, 마포을)의원이 여대생에게 성희롱 발언을 한 것으로 알려져 논란을 빚고 있다.
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20일 중앙일보에 따르면 강 의원은 지난 16일 제2회 국회의장배 전국 대학생 토론대회가 끝난 뒤 대회에 참석한 대학생들과의 저녁식사 자리에서 아나운서를 지망하는 한 여학생에게 "다 줄 생각을 해야 하는 그래도 아나운서를 할 수 있겠냐"고 말한 것으로 전해졌다. 그러면서 특정 대학명을 거론하며 "OO여대 이상은 자존심 때문에 그렇게는 못하더라"고 말했다.
지난해 청와대를 방문한 적이 있다는 여학생에게는 "그때 대통령이 너만 쳐다보더라"며 "남자는 다 똑같다, 예쁜 여자만 좋아한다"고 말했다. 이어 "옆에 사모님(김윤옥 여사)만 없었다면 네 번호도 따갔을 것"이라고 덧붙였다.
한글 기사 보기
강용석 성희롱 발언…과거 전적도 `박근혜 허리..`
강용석 한나라당(41, 마포을)의원이 여대생에게 성희롱 발언을 한 것으로 알려져 논란을 빚고 있다.
강 의원의 '부적절한 발언'은 이번이 처음이 아니다. 지난 2008년 한나라당 홈페이지의 '한나라 칼럼'코너에 올린 '섹시한 박근혜'라는 칼럼에서 박근혜 당시 한나라당 대표를 두고 "나뿐 아니라 많은 유부남들이 박근혜의 물구나무 선 모습, 완벽한 아치 모양의 허리에 감탄을 금치 못했을 것이다"라고 묘사해 논란을 빚은 적이 있다.
20일 중앙일보에 따르면 강 의원은 지난 16일 제2회 국회의장배 전국 대학생 토론대회가 끝난 뒤 대회에 참석한 대학생들과의 저녁식사 자리에서 아나운서를 지망하는 한 여학생에게 "다 줄 생각을 해야 하는 그래도 아나운서를 할 수 있겠냐"고 말한 것으로 전해졌다. 그러면서 특정 대학명을 거론하며 "OO여대 이상은 자존심 때문에 그렇게는 못하더라"고 말했다.
지난해 청와대를 방문한 적이 있다는 여학생에게는 "그때 대통령이 너만 쳐다보더라"며 "남자는 다 똑같다, 예쁜 여자만 좋아한다"고 말했다. 이어 "옆에 사모님(김윤옥 여사)만 없었다면 네 번호도 따갔을 것"이라고 덧붙였다.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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