Presidential Office on Candidate Kim Seung-hee's 'Dementia Controversy'... "Appointment Considering Expertise"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jin-ho] The Presidential Office on the 26th drew a line regarding the ruling party's backlash against the nomination of Kim Seung-hee as Minister of Health and Welfare, stating it was a "personnel decision made with consideration of expertise." Earlier, members of the Democratic Party's Health and Welfare Committee strongly opposed the nomination, citing Kim's past remarks about former President Moon Jae-in's "early symptoms of dementia" as offensive.

Spokesperson Kang In-seon said at a briefing held that day, "(This cabinet appointment) is a personnel decision that fulfills President Yoon Seok-yeol's promise to actively guarantee fair opportunities for women."

Earlier that day, President Yoon nominated Park Soon-ae as Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, and Kim Seung-hee as Minister of Health and Welfare. Oh Yoo-kyung, Dean of the College of Pharmacy at Seoul National University, was appointed as the head of the Food and Drug Safety Administration, a vice-ministerial position. All three appointees are women.

Regarding Kim Seung-hee, who faced backlash from the Democratic Party for her "dementia remarks" about President Moon Jae-in during her time as a lawmaker in 2019, Spokesperson Kang said, "She is a very good candidate available under the current circumstances," adding, "I am not sure if that one remark can be interpreted as an intention to break cooperation, as the Democratic Party claims."

In response to criticism that "Park Soon-ae, a public administration expert, lacks educational expertise," Kang said, "This appointment should be seen in light of the need for educational reform administration," and added, "There was an internal evaluation suggesting that this issue should be reconsidered from the perspective of an administrative expert."

Meanwhile, regarding the controversy surrounding the nomination of Yoon Jong-won, President of IBK Industrial Bank, who is considered a strong candidate for Minister-level Chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, Kang said, "Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is known to want to work with him," and added, "The President is also considering various situations carefully."