National Assembly abuzz with attendance of NewJeans' Hani

[Anchor]

Yesterday (10.15), the National Assembly was abuzz with the attendance of Hani, a member of the girl group NewJeans, at the National Assembly audit.

The meeting was disrupted due to controversy over Broadcasting and Communication Committee Chairperson Choi Min-hee meeting Hani separately, while a corporate executive who attended an audit due to a serious company accident took a selfie and later apologized. Meanwhile, some lawmakers, who had been shouting and belittling other witnesses, suddenly became well-mannered in front of Hani.

Lee Hee-yeon reports.

[Report]

Hani, a member of NewJeans, attended the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee audit as a witness.

Among the crowd gathered to see Hani, the presence of Broadcasting and Communication Committee Chairperson Choi Min-hee was also captured.

During the Broadcasting and Communication Committee audit, controversy arose over the circumstances of Chairperson Choi meeting Hani separately.

[Park Jeong-hoon/National Assembly Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee/People Power Party: "How can you go to the room where NewJeans is and meet them? We are currently in a committee meeting. (I met them at this time...What do you mean?)"]

[Park Jeong-hoon/National Assembly Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee/People Power Party: "No, you went and came back after meeting, right? Didn't you meet? (No.) Are you saying you didn't meet? (No, I could meet.)"]

[Choi Min-hee/National Assembly Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee Chairperson/Democratic Party: "I just went because I received a call. Why do I have to disclose that!"]

The meeting was suspended for over an hour due to this issue.

Chairperson Choi acknowledged meeting Hani but clarified that it was not during the meeting.

During the Environment and Labor Committee audit, a Hanwha Ocean executive, who was a witness regarding a fatal accident at a shipyard, was captured smiling and taking a 'selfie' with Hani.

[Kim Tae-seon/National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee/Democratic Party: "(Hani was very nervous.) So you took a selfie? People are dying at the company, and you take a selfie? Are you laughing now?"]

In the end, Hanwha Ocean issued an apology in the name of its CEO, stating, "We deeply apologize to the public, the National Assembly, and the bereaved families for the inappropriate behavior of our executive."

KBS News, Lee Hee-yeon.