Parliamentary confirmation hearings for Lee So-young, nominee for minister of SMEs and startups, and Hong Ji-sun, nominee for minister of land, infrastructure and transport, will be held on the 15th and 16th, respectively. As hearing schedules take shape for ministerial nominees named in the second round of cabinet appointments under President Lee Jae-myung, the National Assembly's vetting process is set to move into full swing.
Ruling and opposition floor secretaries on the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee and its Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee agreed to hold the hearings for the two nominees on the 15th and 16th of this month, the National Assembly said on the 2nd.
Lee was nominated on the 30th of last month to head the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, a post left vacant when Han Seong-sook became prime minister. A two-term lawmaker who has handled industrial and small-business policy in the National Assembly, she is seen as having a solid grasp of policy affecting small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.
Hong served as head of the Gyeonggi Province urban housing office while President Lee was governor of the province. She is currently second vice minister of land, infrastructure and transport. Questioning at her hearing is expected to focus on the new administration's housing policy direction, including expanding housing supply, stabilizing the housing market and easing rules on redevelopment and the rebuilding of aging apartment complexes.
Hearing schedules for other ministerial nominees are also coming into view. Ruling and opposition parties are said to be arranging a hearing on the 16th for Lee Hyung-il, nominee for deputy prime minister and minister of finance and economy. For Kang Shin-chul, nominee for defense minister, discussions are under way on holding a hearing on one day between the 14th and 18th.
A hearing for Kim Seung-won, nominee for justice minister, could be held as early as the 18th. The hearing for Yong Hye-in, nominee for minister of gender equality and family, is expected to fall on one day between the 15th and 18th. Kim is likely to face scrutiny over judicial reform issues such as prosecution reform and the separation of investigative and indictment powers, while Yong is expected to be questioned over whether she will retain her proportional-representation seat in the National Assembly and over her policy credentials.
