The People Power Party is stepping up its offensive against the government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea even after Yong Hye-in withdrew as nominee for minister of gender equality and family. With a packed week of confirmation hearings set to begin next week, the opposition party intends to use the failed nomination to highlight what it calls the presidential office's failure to vet candidates.
Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, wrote on Facebook on the 13th that "this is not something that ends with a nominee's withdrawal," adding that "the true nature of the 'leftist cartel' must be laid bare."
"In the end, she chose the 'organization' over the ministerial post," Jang said. "This was probably not Yong Hye-in's own decision but a decision by the 'leftist cartel' seeking to protect its own interests."
"They must have concluded that keeping the Basic Income Party in the National Assembly serves the 'organization's interests' better than making Yong Hye-in a minister," he said. "This episode has exposed the cloven hoof of a leftist cartel that dreams of a 'communist revolution.' Yong Hye-in has stepped down, but the 'leftist cartel' remains intact."
Chung Jum-sik, the party's floor leader, also targeted President Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party at the same time, calling for a public apology over the nomination.
"Lawmaker Yong Hye-in received proportional representation nominations from the Democratic Party twice," Chung said. "The various controversies surrounding the nominee were matters the Democratic Party should have screened out in the first place during two rounds of general election nominations. This is a clear failure of the Democratic Party's candidate vetting."
On the presidential office's screening process, he added: "This episode is a clear vetting failure by the presidential office's personnel team. I hope President Lee Jae-myung apologizes to the public over this personnel debacle involving Yong Hye-in and takes responsible action regarding the presidential office personnel officials who failed to vet her."
The People Power Party plans to maintain its aggressive vetting stance toward the five remaining ministerial nominees. It has singled out Kim Seung-won, the nominee for justice minister, as its main target and plans to continue demanding that the nomination be withdrawn or that he step down voluntarily. Choi Bo-yoon, spokesperson for the People Power Party, said on the same day that "as opinion polls show, the appointment of cabinet officials whom the public views negatively will become a burden on the government," adding, "The People Power Party will lay bare the details and the allegations that the public wants to know, as far as possible."
