Core Viewpoint - A senior South Korean lawmaker is under scrutiny for potential conflicts of interest related to his son's employment at Bithumb while he pressured Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, raising concerns about the intersection of politics and the cryptocurrency industry [1][2]. Group 1: Allegations and Actions - Kim Byung-kee, a member of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, is accused of pressuring Dunamu while assisting his son in obtaining an internship at Bithumb [2]. - Reports indicate that Kim met with Bithumb executives in November, coinciding with a job posting for a data analysis intern that matched his son's qualifications [3]. - Kim's son joined Bithumb in January and left in June, with claims that Kim's staff circulated his résumé to other firms prior to the Bithumb role, labeling the hire as "special employment" [4]. Group 2: Public Statements and Denials - Following the meeting with Bithumb, Kim allegedly instructed aides to prepare aggressive questioning for Dunamu, framing Upbit's market dominance as a monopoly issue [5]. - During a Political Affairs Committee session in February, Kim raised concerns about Upbit's market share and its handling of the Terra-Luna collapse, without questioning Bithumb [5][6]. - Kim has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that his legislative activities were based on general policy concerns and unrelated to his son's employment, which he claims was through open recruitment [6]. Group 3: Industry Response - Bithumb has stated that its recruitment process was transparent and noted that concerns about monopolization in the crypto market have been consistently raised by lawmakers and experts since 2021 [7].