Fallout from Kim Seung-won's Report Adoption: Reports for Three Ministerial Nominees Adopted, Two Deferred

[Financial News] The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea adopted personnel hearing reports on three of the six ministerial nominees for the second Cabinet of the Lee Jae-myung administration on the 17th: Kim Seung-won, nominee for minister of justice; Lee Hyoung-il, nominee for deputy prime minister for economic affairs and minister of economy and finance; and Kang Shin-chul, nominee for minister of national defense. However, the reports on Kim and Kang were adopted under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea, prolonging the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties. The People Power Party canceled plenary meetings of committees it chairs, delaying adoption of the reports on Hong Ji-sun, nominee for minister of land, infrastructure and transport, and Lee So-young, nominee for minister of SMEs and startups.
According to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea on the 17th, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a plenary meeting that day and adopted the personnel hearing report on Kim under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea. People Power Party lawmakers protested that allegations, including requests for favors regarding approval of clinical trials for a new drug, had not been sufficiently resolved before walking out. The Democratic Party of Korea maintains that Kim adequately explained the allegations during the hearing held on the 15th.
The National Defense Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea also adopted Kang's personnel hearing report under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea that day. People Power Party lawmakers did not attend the plenary meeting. At the hearing the previous day, the People Power Party had declared Kang unqualified, raising concerns about his past drunk driving and allegations involving his spouse.
Lee's report, by contrast, was adopted with agreement between the ruling and opposition parties. The Finance, Economy and Planning Committee adopted Lee's personnel hearing report at a plenary meeting that day. However, the report included both the Democratic Party of Korea's favorable assessment and the People Power Party's unfavorable assessment.
The People Power Party maintains that issues raised during Lee's hearing, including the controversy over owning a single home without residing there, have not been sufficiently resolved. Bae Jun-young of the People Power Party explained, "Many problems and concerns were raised, and they were certainly not fully resolved," while adding, "I agree on the need for an economic control tower to restore the people's livelihoods and the economy."
The confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties over Kim also affected other ministerial nominees. After the Democratic Party of Korea moved to adopt the reports on Kim and Kang, the People Power Party abruptly canceled plenary meetings of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee and the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee, both chaired by lawmakers from the party.
As a result, the scheduled adoption of the personnel hearing reports on Hong Ji-sun and Lee So-young did not take place that day. The People Power Party had reportedly also considered adopting Lee So-young's report with an unfavorable assessment.
Of the six ministerial nominees announced on the 30th of last month, reports have now been adopted for three: Kim Seung-won, Lee Hyoung-il and Kang Shin-chul. Adoption of the reports on Lee So-young and Hong Ji-sun has been deferred, while Yong Hye-in, nominee for minister of gender equality and family, resigned voluntarily on the 13th.
Although the confirmation hearings are effectively complete, the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties is intensifying at the report-adoption stage. In particular, disputes over whether Kim, whom the opposition camp has identified as its top target for rejection, should be appointed have affected the hearing procedures for other nominees. The power struggle between the ruling and opposition parties over the launch of the second Cabinet is therefore expected to continue for the time being.

[email protected] Kim Kyung-min Reporter