Joeunhee: "Chairwoman Kwon Insuk is biased... fixed notion that Kim Haeng must resign"

Opposition Extends Solo Hearing by One More Day
"No Minister Attendance Obligation for Unagreed Matters"

Jo Eun-hee, a member of the National Assembly's Women and Family Committee from the People Power Party, stated that the confirmation hearing for Kim Haeng, Minister of Gender Equality and Family, which was disrupted the previous day, was "biasedly conducted by Chairwoman Kwon In-sook."

In an interview on June 6th with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' Rep. Jo said, "The chairperson is responsible for properly conducting the hearing until the end, but it seems that Chairwoman Kwon has a fixed notion in her mind that this candidate (Kim) should resign."

Jo Eun-hee, member of the People Power Party. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Rep. Jo pointed out, "Chairwoman Kwon told the candidate to resign if she could not properly submit the documents," adding, "When opposition party members say such things, it is often misunderstood as a political attack, but for the chairperson to do so is unprecedented in about 23 years of hearings and is unfair. It means she does not want to hold the hearing."

During the previous day's confirmation hearing for candidate Kim, the ruling and opposition parties clashed late into the night over document submission issues, leading to candidate Kim and People Power Party members walking out collectively, causing the hearing to break down.

Regarding the reason for the collective walkout, Rep. Jo said, "We did not just leave unilaterally; the chairperson declared a recess," and added, "There is a fixed notion in the chairperson's mind that the candidate must resign, and we said we would continue if she expressed regret about that, but she did not until the end." She continued, "It was a unilateral recess, and when the hearing resumed, the demands we made were not met."

On the Democratic Party's unilateral extension of the hearing schedule by one more day until the 6th, she said, "The session cannot be changed without bipartisan agreement. Also, the candidate's consent is required," and suggested non-attendance by stating, "The bipartisan agreement was to finish by yesterday. The minister is not obligated to attend."