The confirmation hearing for Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won has concluded, but the People Power Party is keeping up pressure for the nomination to be withdrawn, saying the questions raised during the process were not adequately answered. The party has taken issue not only with the various allegations surrounding Kim but also with the attitude he displayed during the hearing, warning that pushing ahead with the appointment would create "a second Cho Kuk affair."
Choi Soo-jin, the People Power Party's floor spokesperson, called on the 16th for the nomination to be withdrawn, saying in a statement that "if the appointment is forced through, there will be no avoiding the fierce public resistance and the collapse of the administration that a second Cho Kuk affair would bring."
The party focused its attack in particular on the claim that the allegations surrounding Kim were not sufficiently cleared up even after the hearing. Citing the repeated breakdowns in the hearing amid shouting and heated exchanges between the rival parties, it also argued that the Democratic Party had effectively obstructed vetting of the nominee.
"Kim's confirmation hearing was marred by breakdowns filled with shouting and abusive remarks beneath common decency from the Democratic Party, the dominant governing party, with the original purpose of vetting a public official nowhere to be found," Choi said. "In response to legitimate questions from the opposition, Democratic Party lawmakers poured out insulting remarks such as 'polishing' and 'viper,' deliberately driving the hearing into chaos."
She went on to say that "the suspicions surrounding Kim have only grown through the hearing," adding that "his past drunk-driving conviction and his double standards also clearly showed that the nominee falls short of the qualifications for minister."
She also said, "What is more serious is the nominee's arrogant attitude," noting that "far from showing any remorse, he hinted at outright retaliation by saying he would inspect investigative agencies once he becomes minister, and he turned things upside down by branding legitimate whistleblowing and the opposition's parliamentary activity as illegal leaks."
"The sight of insisting on appointing a disqualified nominee on whom the public has already passed judgment is a carbon copy of the Cho Kuk affair, which brought about the collapse of an administration after it went against public sentiment," she added. "Forcing through Kim's appointment will be a historic turning point that hastens the self-destruction of the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party."
