Integrity-touting Mayor Yeom Tae-young's City, a Gathering Place for Corrupt Officials?

All members of the Saenuri Party at the Suwon City Council issued a statement on the 29th questioning the past record of misconduct involvement by newly appointed Vice Mayor Do Tae-ho <Suwon Ilbo exclusive report, January 26> and demanding "the reversal of the appointment of a vice mayor with irregularities."

The council members stated, "(The vice mayor appointment) tarnishes the honor of 1.2 million Suwon citizens and approximately 3,000 public officials," and said "Mayor Yeom must immediately reverse the appointment of the vice mayor with irregularities, sincerely clarify and apologize for this unreasonable personnel decision."

They continued, "This personnel appointment is even more difficult to accept because Mayor Yeom of the integrity city of Suwon has habitually emphasized 'rooting out corruption and bribery.'"

The statement further stated, "Last year, Mayor Yeom appointed Lee Ji-hoon, who resigned as Jeju Mayor due to allegations of misconduct, as director of the Suwon Maeul Renaissance Center, which caused public outrage," and criticized, "Is our Suwon city a gathering place for corrupt officials?"

The statement continued, "People say 'personnel is everything,' but Mayor Yeom's personnel appointments are 'ruinous,'" and emphasized, "If Mayor Yeom refuses to listen to the voice of citizens, it will invite greater calamity."

Lee Ji-hoon faced criticism from civic organizations such as the Jeju Integrity Society and local media in Jeju over real estate favoritism allegations, resigned as Jeju Mayor just one month after taking office, and was appointed director of the Suwon Maeul Renaissance Center in April last year.

Do Tae-ho was effectively expelled from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport following the revelations of a private business liquor incident and possession of a corporate credit card, and was appointed as Vice Mayor of Suwon on the 25th of last month.

Lee Ji-hoon is from Jeju and Do Tae-ho is from Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Both are individuals with no connection to Suwon whatsoever.

Coincidentally, both are of the same generation as Mayor Yeom, and Vice Mayor Do Tae-ho is also a university classmate of the same age as Mayor Yeom Tae-young.

Meanwhile, Suwon City immediately issued a press release demanding the reversal of Vice Mayor Do Tae-ho's appointment, claiming it was "political offensive aimed at the general election."