Opposition Demands Withdrawal of Nominee Science Minister Im Hye-suk... Song Young-gil, Democratic Party Leader, Collecting Internal Opinions
Democrats: "No Decisive Blow Yet" vs "Forced Appointment Is Burdensome"... June 10 Deadline for National Assembly Report Adoption Is a Turning Point
[Asia Economy reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Jeon Jin-young] As some ministerial candidates are being seen as needing to be ‘sorted out’ not only by the opposition but also by some within the ruling party, President Moon Jae-in, who holds the power of appointment, is facing increasing concerns. The reshuffle was carried out by selecting ministers who would serve until the end of the term, and the Blue House wants to avoid any situation where multiple issues become tangled.
However, the dilemma lies in the fact that forcibly appointing ministers who face strong opposition could risk losing momentum in state affairs. The situation will reach a turning point on the 10th. If President Moon requests the resubmission of the hearing report to the National Assembly on that day, it would signal his intention to push forward with the appointments.
A Blue House official said on the 7th, "It is still the National Assembly’s time," withholding comment. There is growing weight behind a cautious view to wait for the judgment of party leadership, including Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.
The People Power Party is demanding that President Moon ‘sort out’ three candidates: Im Hye-sook, nominee for Minister of Science and ICT; Park Jun-young, nominee for Minister of Oceans and Fisheries; and Noh Hyung-wook, nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The Justice Party has also placed Im and Park on their so-called ‘death note,’ increasing the political burden on President Moon.
The Democratic Party maintains that there has not yet been a ‘decisive blow’ necessitating candidate withdrawal but is concerned about the political fallout. A key Democratic Party official said, "Leader Song is also gathering opinions within the party. There are various views, such as whether the allegations raised during the hearings are sufficient grounds for disqualification and whether it is right to proceed despite the risks, so we want to listen."
A senior Democratic lawmaker defended the candidates, saying, "(It is now) just a matter of whether the hearing report will be adopted by bipartisan agreement," and "Nothing has been revealed that violates the five disqualification criteria set by our government." Although there may be difficulties, the assessment is that the balance will ultimately tip toward appointment.
However, some within the party believe that, for the smooth landing of Leader Song’s administration, it is inevitable to let go of at least candidate Im. If Leader Song expresses a negative view on the approval of some ministerial candidates, President Moon, who has emphasized the ‘one team’ approach between the party and the Blue House, would have little reason to refuse. Forcibly appointing ministers could damage the government approval rating, which remains around 30%, and also increase the risk of a ‘lame duck’ period.
Moreover, political schedules requiring opposition cooperation, such as the National Assembly’s approval of Prime Minister nominee Kim Boo-kyum and the confirmation hearing for Prosecutor General nominee Kim Oh-soo, could all be disrupted. If the party suggests ‘giving up some candidates,’ it is expected that President Moon may respect this stance and make a decision accordingly. This could also be portrayed as an effort to keep the flame of cooperation alive by accommodating both ruling and opposition views.
The National Assembly completed confirmation hearings for five ministerial candidates, including these three, on the 4th. The deadline for adopting the hearing reports is the 10th. If the National Assembly does not submit the hearing reports by then, President Moon can request resubmission within 10 days. While this may be seen as a formal procedure, politically it could be interpreted as a step toward forcibly pushing through the appointments.
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