Democratic Party hails 'diverse political spectrum'; PPP vows sharp scrutiny
Experts warn of polarizing nominees as hearing clashes loom
President Lee Jae Myung's mid-scale cabinet reshuffle — replacing ministers across six portfolios, including the deputy prime minister for economic affairs and the heads of the justice and defense ministries — has turned the attention of both ruling and opposition parties toward upcoming National Assembly confirmation hearings. The Democratic Party of Korea praised the appointments as reflecting a broad political spectrum, while the People Power Party condemned the reshuffle as running counter to public sentiment and pledged rigorous scrutiny.
Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok called the reshuffle "the start of another very important shift in state governance" at a supreme council meeting Monday. Kim described the nominees as "young, influential and reflective of a diverse political spectrum," adding that the party would "actively support cabinet nominees in the progressive and reform coalition camp in getting firmly established."
The PPP offered a sharply different assessment, branding the reshuffle a move that runs counter to public opinion. Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok dismissed it as "a surprise reshuffle that goes in the exact opposite direction of what the people want."
Jang singled out Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, saying the appointment signaled that the administration intended to "go all-in on overturning the trial no matter how strongly the public opposes it." He was equally critical of Yong Hye-in, the nominee for minister of gender equality and family, calling her selection "an absurd card played in the face of young people's anger." He added that the president had left Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom in place despite public calls for his removal.
Jang also took aim at the economic appointments. He said nominating Lee Hyeong-il — a first vice minister at the Ministry of Economy and Finance — as deputy prime minister for economic affairs amounted to "putting the main culprit behind the real estate tax bomb in charge of the finance ministry." Of Hong Ji-seon, a second vice minister at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport nominated to lead that ministry, Jang said the president had "appointed the architect of the basic housing scheme from Lee Jae Myung's Gyeonggi Province days as land minister," adding that the moves showed the administration intended to "push ahead with real estate hell policies regardless of what happens to the people."
Experts predicted the confirmation hearings would turn contentious given the strong divisions some nominees have already provoked. Lee Jae-muk, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said in a phone interview that "beyond nominees with clear expertise, such as Ministry of SMEs and Startups minister nominee Lee So-young, there are figures who sharply divide opinion," adding that "whether the intended effect materializes will depend on how public sentiment develops."
The nomination of Yong in particular is expected to draw fierce exchanges at the hearings. Former lawmaker Park Won-seok said on CBS Radio that "women in their 20s and 30s may view the gender image Rep. Yong carries in a positive light," but cautioned that "the gains from that could be outweighed by alienating men in their 20s and 30s who hold very negative views on gender conflict."
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