Anchor: Rival parties on Friday clashed over allegations that a ruling party lawmaker engaged in real estate speculation using inside information she obtained when she served on a parliamentary committee. While the ruling Democratic Party decided to defer punitive action against lawmaker Sohn Hye-won on Thursday, opposition parties accused the ruling party of self-exoneration.
Bae Joo-yon has more. 

Report: Democratic Party(DP) lawmaker Sohn Hye-won is suspected of using inside information she received as a parliamentary committee member.

She allegedly made her relatives and aides make speculative investments in properties in the southwestern city of Mokpo, South Jeolla Province from March 2017 to September 2018.

The otherwise old and unattractive properties were later designated as cultural asset sites by the government, generating huge profit margins for buyers. 

On her social media account on Friday, Sohn, who has denied the allegations, said she will request prosecutors investigate the allegations so long as parties involved in the case cooperate with the probe.

Despite the controversy, the ruling Democratic Party's Supreme Council on Thursday decided not to take any measures against Rep. Sohn. The first-term lawmaker told the council that she purchased the buildings as she was interested in preserving the city's modern cultural assets and renovating the city’s old downtown area.

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party(LKP) called the case a power-related scandal and brought its motion for punishment for Sohn to the parliamentary ethics committee. 

The minor opposition Bareummirae Party asked Sohn to resign, while the Party for Democracy and Peace and the Justice Party called for prosecution’s investigation into the allegations.

The LKP and the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party went further to urge President Moon Jae-in to apologize and explain the allegations, referring to Sohn's personal relationship with First Lady Kim Jung-sook dating back to their high school years.

Rep. Sohn is not the only problem the ruling party is struggling with. The DP on Thursday accepted the resignation of its vice floor leader accused of peddling influence at a court.

In May 2015, Rep. Seo Young-kyo allegedly asked a judiciary official reduce punishment for a son of her acquaintance, who was accused of attempted sexual abuse.

The judge reportedly delivered Seo’s request to Lim Jong-hun, then deputy chief of the National Court Administration, the organization at the heart of a massive judicial power abuse scandal. 
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.