The National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee turned its attention on the 15th to the way In Tae-yeon, head of the Small Enterprise and Market Service, answered questions during a parliamentary audit of agencies under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The People Power Party highlighted that In is the brother-in-law of Kim Eo-jun, a broadcaster seen as sympathetic to the ruling bloc, and criticized his competence, while members of the Democratic Party of Korea also raised the need for an internal inspection.
Cho Ji-yeon of the People Power Party said the agency had failed to submit In's job application and personal statement, asking, "Other agencies let us review their executives' personal statements and job performance plans. Is the Small Enterprise and Market Service the only sanctuary?" In responded, "I instructed them to submit the materials, but I was told there were restrictions related to personal information."
When In still had not produced the documents past 7 p.m., Kim Sung-won, the committee chairman and a People Power Party member, said, "The agency chief just sent a written reply saying he could not submit them because the deputy chief was inside the audit room." He added, "In three terms as a lawmaker, I have never seen an organization run like this."
Park Sung-min of the People Power Party pointed to a reduction this year in the agency's loan budget for small business owners and asked, "If the agency chief is capable, shouldn't he secure a larger government budget to provide support and expand the programs?" When In smiled and replied, "I made my case, but I lacked the clout and it did not work out," Park rebuked him, saying, "Are you sitting there grinning in an audit hearing? Show some seriousness." Seo Ji-young of the People Power Party, referring to In's status as broadcaster Kim Eo-jun's brother-in-law, remarked sarcastically, "Under this administration, it seems very hard to land a post unless you are a brother-in-law."
Criticism of In's conduct at the audit also came from the ruling party. Jang Chul-min of the Democratic Party of Korea, the ruling party's committee liaison, said In did not properly know which companies were involved in the fraudulent circulation of Onnuri gift certificates. "It is truly regrettable that he has not grasped something that came up in the parliamentary audit last week, not two or three months ago," Jang said.
Earlier, at the Oct. 7 parliamentary audit of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, allegations surfaced that so-called "Onnuri discounting" had taken place last year at a traditional market cooperative in Gwangju, Jeolla Province. Kim Won-i of the Democratic Party of Korea said at the time that the cooperative's transactions last year totaled 12.2 billion won, noting, "It was 500 million won in 2023, and such a jump does not make sense."
On the 15th, Jang took aim at In and other agency heads, saying, "Even as the ruling party liaison, I am disappointed as to whether their attitude and preparation for the audit were sufficient or appropriate." He added, "It makes me wonder whether I should call for an inspection of agency heads' performance of their duties. If this lack of diligence in responding to the audit continues, I hope both parties will take this up together." Kim, the chairman, then said, "It is not just me — ruling party lawmakers also believe the agency chief is a problem and the organization is a problem." He stressed, "I will consult with the liaisons of both parties so that we can hold a hearing in November on normalizing the Small Enterprise and Market Service."