Seoul: Rep. Kim Byung-ki, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), issued an apology on Tuesday following revelations that he had accepted complimentary hotel accommodation from Korean Air Co., the nation's flag carrier, in the past. Kim stated that he would exercise greater caution in his future conduct and pledged to immediately repay the accommodation costs.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the apology came after a local daily reported that Kim availed himself of a complimentary hotel stay through an invitation from Korean Air in November of the previous year. The rooms and services were reportedly valued at approximately 1.6 million won (US$1,080). During that period, Kim was serving as a member of the National Assembly's political affairs committee, which had jurisdiction over issues related to a proposed merger between Korean Air and its competitor, Asiana Airlines Inc.

Kim contended that there was a substantial discrepancy between the value of the accommodation cited in the report and the actual cost. Nonetheless, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) criticized Kim's acceptance of the accommodation.

The PPP argued that the nation's anti-graft law prohibits the acceptance of goods or services exceeding 1 million won, irrespective of their relevance to official duties. The party further stated that an investigation would be unavoidable unless Kim provides a public explanation deemed satisfactory.