Baek Hyeryun "Opposition Already Made Judgment Despite Formal Position"
Shin Donggeun "Candidate Park is a Legal Administration Expert"
Kim Doeup "Ruling Party Refuses Witnesses and References"
Jang Jaewon "Is It Political Attack When Opposition Does It, but Moral Verification When Ruling Party Does?"
Minister of Justice nominee Park Beom-gye is adjusting his glasses while listening to questions at the confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 25th. / Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] A fierce battle of words took place during the confirmation hearing for Park Beom-gye, the nominee for Minister of Justice. The Democratic Party of Korea launched an offensive against the opposition party for holding a so-called 'self-hearing' the day before the official hearing, while the People Power Party responded by claiming that their requests for witnesses and reference persons were rejected.
Baek Hyeryun, the Democratic Party's floor leader, criticized the People Power Party for holding their own 'self-hearing' on the 24th during the confirmation hearing for Park held at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 25th.
Earlier, the People Power Party had held a separate 'outside official hearing' and conducted a sharp examination of nominee Park.
Regarding this, Rep. Baek said, "If they have already made a judgment and come to this official hearing instead of attending the formal session, what meaning does the confirmation hearing have?" and expressed regret sharply.
In response to Baek's criticism, Kim Do-eup, the People Power Party's floor leader, said, "Since the Democratic Party would not accept even one witness or reference person, we had no choice but to hold our own hearing to inform the public of the facts."
Rep. Jang Je-won from the same party raised his voice, saying, "How frustrated must they have been to call key witnesses and hold the (self) hearing yesterday?" and questioned, "When the opposition requests witnesses, it is political attack, but when the ruling party requests them, is it verifying qualifications and morality?"
Baek Hye-ryun, the Democratic Party whip of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, is making a procedural statement at the confirmation hearing for Park Beom-gye, the nominee for Minister of Justice, held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 25th. / Photo by Yonhap News
On this day, the opposition strongly criticized nominee Park, saying "corruption allegations keep emerging." Rep. Jeon Ju-hye of the People Power Party said, "A new nickname, 'Seok-eun onion,' has been given to nominee Park," and pointed out, "No matter how much you peel, corruption keeps coming out. This could be the first case of a politician falling from grace."
She added, "It seems he is not a public office candidate but a multi-term lawmaker," and criticized, "He gives selective answers, which is disrespectful to the public."
Rep. Jang said, "Is the weak person Park thinks of a selective weak person?" and criticized, "His management of those around him is a failing grade. Saying 'I don't know' is an unreasonable answer."
Rep. Jang also mentioned the so-called 'exam student assault' allegation that Park grabbed the collar and verbally abused exam candidates demanding the retention of the judicial examination in 2016, asking, "Is assault, verbal abuse, and citing the Personal Information Protection Act politics for the weak?"
Park Beom= The candidate is attending and speaking at the confirmation hearing of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 25th. / Photo by Yonhap News
In response, nominee Park explained, "The facts are not as such," and said, "Five or six young men much bigger than me appeared at 10 p.m., and I wondered how they knew my address."
Regarding the opposition's offensive against nominee Park, the Democratic Party countered, saying it was a political attack. Rep. Baek emphasized, "There is no illegality or impropriety regarding any allegations against nominee Park that would warrant disqualification."
Democratic Party Rep. Shin Dong-geun also rebutted the assault allegation, saying, "Rather, the fact that these exam candidates came to the nominee's lodging is a form of intimidation," and added, "They are not irregular workers working in harsh conditions with fingers cut off, nor are they socially weak."
He continued, "Nominee Park is a former judge who has served on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for a long time, was also a floor leader of the committee, and is an expert in legal administration," defending him as "an appropriate nominee."
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