 ▲ 강훈 전 대통령실 정책홍보비서관 © 뉴시스 |
강훈 전 대통령실 정책홍보비서관이 8일 한국관광공사 사장 지원을 자진 철회한다고 전했다.
강 전 비서관은 이날 오후 대통령실 출입기자단에 보내온 입장문에서 "대통령님 국정 운영 부담을 조금이나마 덜어드리고 국정 쇄신 디딤돌이 될 수 있다면 그 길을 걷겠다"며 이 같이 밝혔다.
그러면서 자신에 대한 논란에 "거론된 비서관들이 모여 밥한끼 한적 없는데 어느새 저는 '7인회' 일원이 됐다"며 "소위 '박영선·양정철' 보도에선 취재원으로 지목되고 비서실장과 권력 다툼 벌였다는 황당한 루머도 돌았다"고 했다.
또 "특정인들은 온갖 엉터리를 만들어 '전횡' 사례라 주장한다"며 "지금 이 순간에도 대통령님 내외에겐 훨씬 많은 왜곡이 덧칠해지고 있다"고 했다.
더불어 "제대로 보필못한 책임에서 저 또한 자유롭지 못하다"며 지원 철회 의사를 전했다.
언론인 출신 강 전 비서관은 윤 대통령이 검찰총장직을 그만둔 지난 2021년 3월부터 보좌한 '원년 참모'로 초대 국정홍보비서관(현 정책홍보비서관)에 임명돼 일하다 지난 8월 사직했다. 그후 그간의 경력·관련성이 적은 한국관광공사 사장직에 응모한 사실이 알려지면서 대통령 측근 '낙하산' 인사 논란이 불거졌다.
아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.
Former Presidential Policy Public Relations Secretary Kang Hoon Voluntarily Withdraws Application for President of Korea Tourism Organization
Statement to the press corps: "If it can ease the burden of running the state affairs of the President even a little and serve as a stepping stone for reforming the state affairs, I will take that path. At this moment, there are many more distortions added to the President and his wife."
-kihong Kim reporter
Former Presidential Secretary for Policy and Public Relations Kang Hoon announced on the 8th that he would voluntarily withdraw his application for the position of president of the Korea Tourism Organization.
In a statement sent to the press corps covering the presidential office that afternoon, former Secretary Kang stated, “If it can help ease the burden of state administration for the president even a little and serve as a stepping stone for state reform, I will take that path.”
He also said, “The secretaries mentioned have never had a meal together, but I have become a member of the ‘7-member group’ before I knew it,” and “There were absurd rumors that I was named as a source for the so-called ‘Park Young-sun and Yang Jeong-cheol’ report and that I had a power struggle with the chief secretary.”
He also said, “Certain people are making up all sorts of nonsense and claiming that it is a case of ‘tyranny,’” and “Even at this moment, the president and his wife are being accused of much more distortion.”
He also said, “I am also not free from responsibility for not being able to properly assist,” and expressed his intention to withdraw his application.
Former Secretary Kang, who is a former journalist, was appointed as the first Secretary to the President for Public Relations (now Secretary to the President for Policy Public Relations) as an “original staff member” who assisted President Yoon since March 2021, when he resigned from his post as Prosecutor General, before resigning in August. Afterwards, when it was revealed that he had applied for the position of President of the Korea Tourism Organization, where his previous career and relevance were limited, controversy over the “parachute” appointment of a close aide to the president erupted.
