Ruling and opposition parties tug-of-war over Lee Hye-hoon’s confirmation hearing: ruling party says “as scheduled,” opposition threatens “boycott”

[The Financial News] On the eve of the confirmation hearing for Lee Hye-hoon, the first nominee for Minister of Planning and Budget, the ruling and opposition parties remained locked in confrontation. The People Power Party argues that the hearing schedule should be postponed, saying Lee has refused to submit materials needed to clarify allegations of real estate speculation, gift tax evasion, and preferential treatment in her child’s military service. The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), however, maintains that she must be vetted directly through the hearing. Although Lim Yi-ja, the People Power Party lawmaker who serves as Chairperson of the Strategy and Finance Committee, has personally declared a boycott, the DPK, which holds a majority of seats, is inclined to push ahead with a unilateral hearing.
According to political sources on the 18th, the ruling and opposition parties continued a tug-of-war over whether to proceed with Lee’s confirmation hearing scheduled for the 19th.
The People Power Party contends that the hearing should be postponed on the grounds that Lee is refusing to submit documents needed to verify various allegations raised in the media. They point out that although she agreed to complete the submission of materials by 5 p.m. on the 15th, only about 15% of the requested documents have been provided so far. From the People Power Party’s perspective, forcing the hearing under these circumstances would amount to nothing more than a “hollow vetting.”
Park Soo-young, the People Power Party secretary on the Strategy and Finance Committee of the National Assembly, said, “She has not submitted any materials regarding the core suspicions, such as alleged preferential treatment for her child in military service, employment, and scholarships, issues involving gifts between spouses, or the allegations of irregular subscription to Raemian One Pentas in Banpo,” adding, “Even if she submits the documents today, the deadline has already passed, and working-level staff need time to review them.” The People Power Party has gone on the offensive, calling Lee a “bundle of corruption” and insisting that she is “not a subject for vetting but for criminal investigation.” They have also urged President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea to withdraw her nomination.
However, even if Lim, as committee chair, refuses to convene or proceed with the hearing, the DPK, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, can still force through a unilateral hearing under parliamentary rules. In that case, DPK lawmaker Jung Tae-ho, the ruling party’s secretary on the committee, would act as acting chair. The DPK argues that, since the Strategy and Finance Committee of the National Assembly has already voted in a full committee meeting to hold the hearing on the 19th, it must go ahead as originally scheduled.
Park Su-hyeon, Chief Spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, told reporters, “The confirmation hearing, which is the people’s time, must be properly convened so that the public can conduct its own vetting,” adding, “We hope the People Power Party and the relevant standing committee will ensure that this time for the people’s scrutiny is fully guaranteed.” While the DPK says it plans to continue consultations with the People Power Party to avoid holding a unilateral hearing, the People Power Party continues to refuse to proceed, citing Lee’s alleged evasion of document submission, making it unlikely that the gap between the two sides will be easily bridged.
Some analysts say the DPK may feel burdened about unilaterally pushing ahead with the hearing, given that Lee faces a long list of allegations, ranging from abuse of staff to so-called “parental connections,” irregular apartment subscriptions, and gift tax evasion, as well as a past record of defending martial law despite being a senior figure in a conservative party. Among some DPK members of the Strategy and Finance Committee of the National Assembly, there have even been suggestions that, if Lee fails to properly explain the allegations, the committee’s confirmation report could include a finding that she is unfit for the post.
haeram@fnnews.com Lee Haeram Reporter