On the 24th, the Democratic Party of Korea criticized Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate from the People Power Party, saying, "Using a firefighting helicopter like a private jet during his tenure as Gyeonggi governor is truly behaving like a king." Last January, when candidate Lee Jae-myung was transported by helicopter to Seoul National University Hospital instead of Busan National University Hospital during an attack incident in Busan, Kim pointed out that he had "acted like a king," prompting a rebuttal from the Democratic Party.

Lee Jae-myung (left), the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, shake hands ahead of the start of the second candidate debate for the 21st presidential election hosted by the Central Election Broadcasting Debate Commission at the KBS main building studio in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 23rd. /Courtesy of News1

The Democratic Party's election task force rapid response team stated, "Candidate Kim used the firefighting helicopter 162 times for attending book launch events and for official travel during his tenure as Gyeonggi governor."

The response team remarked, "He effectively used a disaster response helicopter like a 'governor's private jet' and paid 2.5 million won to the aviation staff in 15 instances throughout 2006 under the pretext of 'promotion of government policies' after using the helicopter. This means he misused the helicopter for personal use with public funds and even tipped with taxpayers' money."

The previous day, during the second TV debate among presidential candidates, Kim called the helicopter transport to Seoul National University Hospital during Lee's attack incident in Busan "king's helicopter." He further stated, "Many medical staff felt disheartened seeing candidate Lee take a helicopter to Seoul National University Hospital instead of the well-equipped Busan National University Hospital. He has no right to discuss strengthening public health care or regional balanced development." To this, candidate Lee responded, "It was the medical staff's judgment."

The response team noted, "On March 17, April 10, May 7, and May 9, 2009, when wildfires occurred, candidate Kim also used the firefighting helicopter to go to events, saying, 'Even when wildfires occurred, Kim was flying in the sky – isn't that truly a king?'"

They continued, "Candidate Lee's helicopter ride was judged by the medical staff as an emergency and a life-saving purpose, and if someone who criticizes that as king is actually taking a helicopter to an event, tipping, and ignoring wildfires, that is not a criticism but a confession."