Confirmation hearings for Lee government's second-term Cabinet nominees begin
Kim Seong-su says he is 'deeply sorry' for causing public concern
Ruling and opposition parties spar over zero witnesses called
Hearing for Kim Seung-won, seen as most contentious, draws heated exchanges
The National Assembly launched what observers are calling a "confirmation hearing super week" to vet nominees for President Lee Jae Myung's second-term Cabinet reshuffle. With Gender Equality and Family Minister nominee Yong Hye-in having already withdrawn her candidacy, the ruling and opposition parties are preparing to clash most fiercely over Justice Ministry nominee Kim Seung-won — the ruling Democratic Party planning a vigorous defense while opposition lawmakers aim to force his withdrawal.
The hearings begin Monday with Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Seong-su, followed Tuesday by nominees for deputy prime minister and minister of economy and finance Lee Hyeong-il, Justice Minister Kim Seung-won and SMEs and Startups Minister Lee So-yeong. Defense Minister nominee Kang Sin-cheol and Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister nominee Hong Ji-seon face hearings Wednesday, and Special Inspector nominee Choi Gil-su appears Friday.
In his opening remarks Monday, Kim Seong-su apologized for a controversy over a below-market jeonse arrangement involving a Gangnam apartment, saying he was "deeply sorry for causing concern to committee members and the public through my own negligence, even before the hearing began."
Kim added that "the role and responsibility entrusted to the court is to guarantee the constitutional freedoms and rights of all citizens, including marginalized neighbors who find it difficult to speak for themselves," and pledged that if confirmed, he would "examine each case with an impartial mind, guided solely by the Constitution, the law, and my conscience as a judge."
The hearing opened with an immediate skirmish between the ruling and opposition parties over the absence of any witnesses or reference persons. People Power Party lawmaker Ju Jin-woo said it was "not a matter of courtesy to the public but a disgrace to the National Assembly" that confirmation hearings had repeatedly recorded zero witnesses and reference persons.
The People Power Party had requested a series of witnesses — including those related to the below-market jeonse allegations against Kim Seong-su and lobbying allegations against Justice Ministry nominee Kim Seung-won involving the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety — but the Democratic Party of Korea refused to accept a single one.
The Democratic Party has signaled it will actively shield the second-term nominees throughout the hearing process, focusing on addressing and defusing the various allegations against them. With President Lee's approval rating having slipped into the 30 percent range in recent polls, the party appears determined to prevent controversies surrounding key nominees from becoming a further liability for the administration.
Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok appeared on the party's YouTube channel Monday and said, "President Lee is now entering his first year, and this is a time to rally together, not a time for criticism," adding, "We need to stay sharp and pull together."
Kim also explained the reasoning behind encouraging Yong to withdraw, saying the public had views on the matter "separate from whether it was legally permissible or not," while adding that "Yong's role remains, so we will be more actively engaged on the progressive coalition going forward."
Floor Leader Han Byung-do, speaking at a field supreme council meeting in Gangwon Province, said it was "unfortunate that what makes news is not who has the ability and qualifications to serve the public, but who has raised the most sensational allegations," and criticized "the baseless allegations against nominees and the digging into their families' personal lives."
Han warned that "those who raise unfounded allegations on a 'say it and see what sticks' basis will face corresponding accountability," and vowed to "verify policy competence more rigorously than ever during the confirmation process and respond firmly and sternly to baseless fabrications."
The broad opposition camp, meanwhile, kept up its concentrated offensive against Kim Seung-won. People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok said at a supreme council meeting Monday, "Is this a gift to the public ahead of Chuseok — a bundle of crimes?" and urged President Lee to "immediately withdraw Kim's nomination, even now."
Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik said the allegations surrounding Kim Seung-won "read like a crime film — from a romantic entanglement to lobbying to share price manipulation," and criticized the government and ruling party for "using Yong's withdrawal as a smokescreen to shield the other nominees."
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon also weighed in on Facebook, saying that Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok and others had "slandered me while defending the 'Kim Seung-won oppa poison lobbying' and talked about 'scissors' — and in doing so, created a scissors-shaped approval rating for the Lee administration," taking a jab at the president by suggesting the strategy of "saving Kim and dropping Yong" would end up "saving Kim and losing Lee."
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