PUNGSAN DOGS GIFTED BY KIM JONG-UN

[Anchor Lead]

Current and former administrations are butting heads over the management of a pair of Pungsan breed dogs which former president Moon Jae-in received as a gift from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2018. Moon's camp says there is no other way but to return the dogs to the state, citing lack of progress in related regulations even after 6 months due to opposition by the presidential office. The current top office refutes the claim.

[Pkg]

Following the 2018 inter-Korean summit, then president Moon Jae-in received a pair of Pungsan dogs from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a gift.

[Soundbite] Moon Jae-in(Then President(2018)) : "This one is called Songkang."

Any gift the president receives is classified as a presidential record and should be transferred to the new administration in principle. But, the dogs were entrusted to Moon through a verbal agreement in March.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(Then President-elect(Mar. 2022)) : "Entrusting the dogs to Pres. Moon is in line with the purpose of the gift."

But Moon now wants to return the canines to the government. The former president's side claims that at the time of retirement, it was agreed with the Presidential Archives that follow-up regulations would be drafted and the interior ministry even issued a legislative notice on June 17th regarding the revision of an enforcement ordinance but that the revision has yet to be implemented. Moon's side argues the revision has not been referred to a Cabinet meeting due to an "unexplained objection" from the presidential office. President Yoon's office has denied the claim. It said that discussions on the enforcement ordinance are under way among relevant agencies and that it is entirely the former president's decision to return the dogs. Rival parties were also drawn into the dispute. Ruling People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong questioned whether taxpayers money should be used for the caring of dogs raised by a former president and called the issue "petty-minded and embarrassing." Main opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Youn Kun-young shot back saying President Yoon cavalierly told Moon to take the dogs and is now not following through. He said it is the government and ruling party who are "small-minded and disgraceful." A matter of legal ambiguity appears to be turning into an emotional scuffle between the old and new top powers.