Han Byung-do, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party, criticized the opposition People Power Party for raising allegations and engaging in heated exchanges at the confirmation hearing for Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, saying, "Do not turn confirmation hearings into a stage for partisan fights."
"Yesterday's confirmation hearing for nominee Kim was not a place to hear the nominee's explanations and examine his policies and competence, but a stage for partisan fighting filled with shouting and finger-pointing," Han said at the party's supreme council meeting held at Daejeon City Hall on the 16th. "The chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee had to call for restraint several times, saying, 'The people are watching,'" he said. "I am deeply disappointed in the People Power Party, which consistently uses confirmation hearings only for partisan fighting."
Han urged the People Power Party to allow the confirmation hearings for Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul and Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister nominee Hong Ji-sun, held the same day, to proceed smoothly. "I hope the People Power Party will take a more forward-looking attitude, at least at today's hearings, and approach the examination of policies and competence for the people responsibly," he said.
Han described Kang as "a career security and military strategy expert who served as a four-star general and as deputy commander of the Combined Forces Command," calling him "the best person to lead a firm South Korea-U.S. alliance, stronger self-reliant defense capabilities and reform of the military's fundamentals amid a rapidly changing security environment." Of Hong, he said she is "an expert in urban, housing and transport administration who served as head of the urban and housing bureau of Gyeonggi Province and as second vice minister of land, infrastructure and transport." He added, "Above all, there is no ruling or opposition party when it comes to stabilizing the property market, so I hope productive alternatives, not partisan fighting, will be discussed on expanding housing supply and settling the third-phase new towns early."
Separately, on President Lee Jae-myung's press conference scheduled for the 18th, Han said, "It will be an occasion for the president to explain in detail to the people his clear position and direction on major state affairs." He added, "I hope that the president, who emphasizes communication with the sovereign people, will candidly state his views and answer faithfully, providing an opportunity to further raise trust in state affairs."
He also said, "Ahead of the press conference, rumors based on groundless speculation that the Democratic Party conveyed its views to the presidential office on certain issues, along with some reports that differ from the facts, are spreading." He stressed, "The party has not conveyed any content related to the president's press conference." The remarks appear to rebut reports that the party had asked the president to state positions on issues such as a constitutional amendment allowing consecutive terms and the withdrawal of prosecutions, in order to break out of a slide in approval ratings.
Turning to the People Power Party, he said, "As soon as news of the press conference broke, leader Jang Dong-hyuk talked about the president giving scripted answers and is trying to drive a venue for communication between the president and the people into partisan fighting." He added, "I hope they will stop the political conspiracy theories and quietly watch the president's sincere communication."
