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Ruling party floor leader’s abuse of power falls short of public standards

Published: 30 Dec. 2025, 00:00

Kim Byung-kee, floor leader of the Democratic Party, speaks during a meeting of the party’s supreme council at the National Assembly on Dec. 24. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

Allegations that Kim Byung-kee, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), enjoyed undue privileges and engaged in abusive behavior toward aides continue to mount. Claims raised by a former aide who worked closely with Kim and his family range from personal misconduct to allegations that may warrant criminal investigation. If true, they point to a deeply troubling pattern in which parliamentary authority and constituency power were treated as private assets.

Public outrage has been especially intense because many of the allegations involve Kim’s family. As the country awaits the results of a special prosecutor’s probe into allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee, the spectacle of senior figure in the ruling camp facing accusations of power abuse only deepens public disillusionment.

On Dec. 29, fresh claims emerged over how Kim’s younger son was hired by a cryptocurrency trading firm. According to the allegations, Kim dined with staff responsible for government relations at the firm and later instructed aides to prepare parliamentary questions critical of rival companies. The firm is then said to have conducted a hiring process favorable to Kim’s son, a mathematics major. The same son has previously been linked to allegations of preferential treatment during a university transfer and of having aides handle requests to postpone reserve military training.

Kim’s eldest son is also embroiled in controversy. A recording surfaced of Kim’s wife allegedly making a request to a senior official at the National Intelligence Service during her son’s hiring process. There are further claims that parliamentary aides were mobilized to assist with the son’s intelligence-related work. Kim’s wife herself faces accusations of using a district council vice chair’s expense card for more than 2 million won following the 2022 local elections.

Despite the cascade of allegations, Kim has yet to offer explanations that meet public expectations. He is expected to release a formal response on Dec. 30, as the DP closely monitors the situation. Party leader Jung Chung-rae has said the matter is being viewed “very seriously.” Some observers even speculate that Kim’s future could affect internal power dynamics between pro–Lee Jae Myung and pro–Jung factions. That, however, is beside the point.

Now is not the time for political calculations. What is required is a response that matches the gravity of allegations involving abuse of power and preferential treatment. As floor leader, Kim also chairs the National Assembly’s steering committee, which oversees audits of the presidential office. At a hearing last month, he sharply rebuked presidential policy chief Kim Yong-beom for expressing anger over opposition questions regarding his daughter’s real estate dealings.

Blaming others will no longer suffice. If Kim cannot provide convincing explanations, public responsibility demands that he acknowledge the weight of his office and make a clear decision about his position.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.