Minjoo Party "Withdraw Kim Seung-hee's Nomination Who Called Moon 'Early Dementia'"...Presidential Office "Appointment Based on Expertise"

Noh: "Is the Yoon Seok-yeol government's personnel philosophy appointing ministers who are foul-mouthed politicians?"

President Yoon Suk-yeol announced on the 26th that former lawmaker Kim Seung-hee has been nominated as the Minister of Health and Welfare, according to the Presidential Office. Photo by the Presidential Office [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] The Democratic Party criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol's nomination of former Liberty Korea Party (predecessor of the People Power Party) lawmaker Kim Seung-hee as Minister of Health and Welfare, demanding the withdrawal of the nomination, saying, "Is appointing a politician who made the slanderous remark that 'former President Moon Jae-in has early symptoms of dementia' the personnel philosophy of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration?"

Democratic Party members of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee issued a statement on the 26th, pointing out, "Candidate Kim Seung-hee is known as one of the most notorious politicians for slanderous remarks during the 20th National Assembly," and added, "Many citizens still remember Candidate Kim as a politician whose shocking slanderous remarks, such as 'President Moon Jae-in has early symptoms of dementia,' evoke political disgust."

They continued, "During her term as a lawmaker, Kim Seung-hee was not only reported to the National Assembly Ethics Committee for promoting hatred and making slanderous remarks, but it is also known that she was even excluded from the People Power Party's nomination in the last general election for these reasons."

They further stated, "It seems that in response to domestic and international criticism about the lack of women in the cabinet, a female politician was hastily nominated," and criticized, "We cannot help but ask what the personnel philosophy of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is, which causes political distrust and hatred, invites social criticism, and even nominates as Minister of Health and Welfare a person who was excluded from the party's nomination."

Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Gun-young also mocked, "The Yoon Seok-yeol government is a government with not a single thought of cooperation, but rather one that only aggravates the public." On the same day, he shared an article related to Candidate Kim on Facebook, saying, "The president is now nominating as minister a person who only made slanderous remarks without ability or logic," and added, "You can understand this person's level just by searching once on a portal."

Lawmaker Kang Byung-won also criticized on Facebook, "'Daddy's Chance' Jung Ho-young is gone, and 'Cooperation Destroyer and Slanderer Kim Seung-hee' has come," calling it "a repeated personnel disaster, showing the true colors of the Yoon Seok-yeol government that disregards the people and runs solo."

Earlier, in October 2019, when Kim was an active lawmaker, she sparked controversy during the Health and Welfare Committee's audit regarding the construction of individual presidential archives by saying, "Medically, it is different, but forgetfulness can appear as an early symptom of dementia. The public is very worried about the president's memory problems," and added, "At this point, not only the attending physician but also the Ministry of Health and Welfare should carefully manage the president's memory. The national dementia responsibility system is the president's number one pledge."

Meanwhile, the presidential office emphasized the nomination as "a personnel decision made with consideration of expertise" in response to the Democratic Party's backlash. Spokesperson Kang In-sun 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," and added, "(Candidate Kim) is a very good candidate that can be found under the current circumstances. I am not sure if that one remark can be interpreted as an intention to break cooperation, as the Democratic Party claims."