◀ Anchor ▶
Lee Jae-hwan, vice president of the Korea Tourism Organization, who caused controversy by calling Busan a “village village,” told the government audit that he did not remember his remarks.
However, MBC’s coverage confirmed that this vice president had made another problematic statement in front of employees.
It is said that while scolding working-level staff, he said that he was ″the person who created the president.″
Reporter Cha Joo-hyuk reported exclusively.
◀ Report ▶
Haeundae Blue Line Park has emerged as a new tourist attraction in Busan.
In July, when the vacation season began, the Korea Tourism Organization set up a promotional center here.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 8월 21일, 한국방문의해 홍보회의)]
″Why did you do it in the countryside of Busan? What is the name of the village where there is no one? (Songjeong Station. A hot place where many foreigners come…) How come so many foreigners come here? 90% of it is in Seoul. The remaining 10% go to 16 cities and provinces.″
Although it was a strategic location to simultaneously promote the Visit Korea Year and the hosting of the World Expo, Vice President Lee Jae-hwan criticized the working staff, saying they were actually supporting ‘Busan, a small town.’
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 8월 21일, 한국방문의해 홍보회의)]
″Why are you doing it there? Are you having a neighborhood event? Are you playing Busan now? Why are you doing something like that there?”
Vice President Lee Jae-hwan also visited the Maldives as part of the presidential special envoy to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan.
However, in Busan, they even ordered the tourism organization’s billboards to be removed.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 8월 21일, 한국방문의해 홍보회의)]
″<옥외 광고는 일단은 서울하고 부산.> Why do you keep talking about Busan? It’s okay if you have money left over and can afford to go to Busan, but stop with Busan.”
Putting aside the Busan Expo, why is there so much focus on promoting the Visit Korea Year?
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 8월 21일, 한국방문의해 홍보회의)]
″This should be viewed as a company-wide task for our corporation. Because this thing is really big. No, the two leaders of Korea are here.”
The Visit Korea Year chairperson is Hotel Shilla President Lee Boo-jin, and the honorary chairperson is First Lady Kim Kun-hee.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 8월 21일, 한국방문의해 홍보회의)]
″Lee Boo-jin and the first lady came. But I don’t know about Visit Korea Year. People don’t know.″
In another official event, he refers to himself as ‘Parachute’.
That is why I emphasize that we must be good to the person who appointed us.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 5월 15일, 부사장-노조 간담회]
″Our president is elected by the people and serves a five-year term. As you all know, I came by parachute. So, I also have to do well with the person who appointed me for my term of office, and since he was appointed and elected by the people…”
Vice President Lee Jae-hwan openly boasts that he is the president’s ‘parachute’.
Mr. Lee joined the Korea Tourism Organization in November last year through an open recruitment process for the position of general manager.
However, soon after joining the company, I was given the position of vice president along with the head of the tourism industry division.
Previously, this position was held by the senior director among the division heads.
Two months later, the Korea Tourism Organization revised its company regulations and created new positions above the general manager and vice president.
[변정섭/한국관광공사 노조위원장]
″It’s actually a privilege that didn’t exist before. Because this person had a certain political background, a system that didn’t exist before was created, and the employees thought, ‘Oh, there’s something there.'”
We have offices in the Wonju headquarters and Seoul branch and operate two official vehicles, the K7 and the Carnival.
There were rumors that Vice President Lee Jae-hwan’s power was such that he even threatened the president.
[김장실/한국관광공사 사장 (지난 5월 16일, 사장-노조 간담회)]
″<실질적 권한은 다른 분이 행사하고 계시다는 직원의 우려 또한 있습니다.> There have been rumors of this and that, but I know it exists, but…”
The role of the vice president, as specified in the tourism organization’s regulations, is to assist the president and has no practical management rights.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 5월 15일, 부사장-노조 간담회)]
″I will make all management decisions. The fact that I am naturally involved in management means that I do not dereliction of duty.”
[김장실/한국관광공사 사장 (지난 5월 16일, 사장-노조 간담회)]
″<경영권, 부사장에게 위임하셨습니까?> I can’t delegate. However, since they have experience in corporate management and have a good network, I encourage them to actively engage in external activities, and that’s right.”
Who is the good network that Vice President Lee Jae-hwan boasts about both internally and externally?
He called Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong his senior and boasted that he had known Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon for over 15 years.
There is another name that came out interestingly.
First, former Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se, an alumnus of the same high school.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 5월 15일, 부사장-노조 간담회)]
″I met the Minister of Unification, and fortunately, he was a senior in high school, so we talked comfortably.″
Rep. Bae Hyun-jin, a member of the National Assembly Culture and Sports Committee.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 5월 15일, 부사장-노조 간담회)]
″This is a side note: “I’m a fan of Rep. Bae Hyun-jin, so if you let me meet and take pictures with Rep. Bae Hyun-jin like this, I’ll do my best to help,” he said as a joke, or in a sarcastic tone, “Oh, I’ll do that because I’m Rep. Bae Hyun-jin’s junior.”
Presidential Legal Secretary Joo Jin-woo.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 8월 21일, 한국방문의해 홍보회의)]
″I decided to go to Yongsan on Wednesday and have lunch with Legal Secretary Joo Jin-woo.″
Finally, President Yoon Seok-yeol appears.
He even boasted that he was the one who created the president.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 8월 21일, 한국방문의해 홍보회의)]
″Are you stupid? I am an expert in marketing planning and public affairs. No, isn’t that why he is the person who created the president and the person who created the governor? We also create a market.″
The true intention has been distorted, it is the devil’s editing.
Vice President Lee Jae-hwan strongly protested during the government audit, and when the second government audit began, he refused to attend, saying he was sick.
[이재환/한국관광공사 부사장 (지난 19일, 문체위 국정감사)]
″That is completely untrue. Rep. <아니, 본인이 얘기했잖아요.> I guess we should call that the devil’s editing.″
The National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee accused Vice President Lee Jae-hwan of insulting the National Assembly and perjury, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism decided to conduct an audit.
Political figures whom Vice President Lee Jae-hwan mentioned as connections responded that the relationship was exaggerated.
This is Cha Joo-hyuk from MBC News.
2023-10-31 11:12:27
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