Kim Seung-won Shielded by Dedicated Team as Democratic Party of Korea Distances Itself from Yong Hye-in

[Financial News] The Democratic Party of Korea has adopted contrasting approaches toward Kim Seung-won, the nominee for minister of the Ministry of Justice, and Yong Hye-in, the nominee for minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, both of whom face various allegations. The party has actively rallied behind Kim by forming a dedicated response team, while distancing itself from Yong by emphasizing that candidates must meet “the standards expected by the public.”
At a closed-door meeting of its supreme council on the 7th, the Democratic Party of Korea decided to form a dedicated team to respond to allegations raised by the opposition bloc against Kim. The team will include Supreme Council members Han Min-soo and Jeon Yong-gi, spokesperson Cho Gye-won, and Kim Dong-ah, a lawmaker on the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
Chief spokesperson Park Seong-jun told reporters after the meeting, “The party needs to actively respond to the negative attacks against Kim,” explaining the background behind the team’s formation. The supreme council reportedly also called on Kim’s side to respond swiftly to the allegations being raised against him.
In particular, Democratic Party lawmakers on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee directly defended Kim against allegations raised by the opposition bloc, including an alleged solicitation to secure approval for a new-drug clinical trial. They counterattacked independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, who raised the allegations, by questioning how he obtained the recording.
Kim Eui-gyeom, the ruling party’s floor leader on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, said on MBC’s “Kim Jong-bae’s Focus,” “This was a case that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and Minister Han Dong-hoon had been determined to investigate thoroughly. Could there have been a more rigorous examination than that?” He added, “It is a case that the Han Dong-hoon faction had already vetted in advance.”
Criticizing Han, Kim said, “He is turning the case into ‘Sunday Seoul’ through excerpts, distortions and editing.” He added, “After seeing his skill at cutting up and editing investigation records with scissors, I want to give him the new nickname ‘Joseon’s No. 1 Scissors.’”
Park Ji-won, also a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, said, “Fifteen prosecutors under Yoon Suk Yeol and Han Dong-hoon investigated Kim for three years. If there had been wrongdoing, would they have deferred prosecution rather than sending him to prison?” He added, “They must first explain why they issued a deferred-prosecution decision and where Han obtained the recording.”
By contrast, the Democratic Party of Korea’s stance toward Yong is markedly different. While the party has labeled the allegations surrounding Kim as “negative campaigning” and directly defended him, lawmakers have publicly voiced concerns about Yong’s simultaneous holding of a proportional-representation seat and the controversy over her alleged privatization of the party.
Lee Soo-jin, the ruling party’s floor leader on the National Assembly’s Gender Equality and Family Committee, said on KBS’s “Jeongyeok Sisa,” “A hearing needs to be scheduled soon to provide an opportunity to examine her convictions.” However, she noted, “The position requires meeting the standards expected by the public, as well as a high level of morality and political responsibility, and there are quite a lot of allegations pouring out.”
Park Ji-won also offered a negative outlook on Yong’s future in office. He said, “No matter how right someone believes they are, they cannot hold public office if the public does not believe they are right.” He added, “We will have to see what happens at the hearing, but it seems it may be difficult to endure.”

[email protected] Kim Kyung-min Reporter