"Worst Cabinet Reshuffle" Incheon Prepares, Opposition vs Ruling Party "Stop Foot-dragging"

Yoon Jae-ok: "Cabinet reshuffle carries a message to prioritize people's livelihood"
Hong Ik-pyo: "Personnel changes abandon people's livelihood and economy"

As President Yoon Suk-yeol reshuffled six cabinet ministers in the 'December 4' reshuffle, the ruling and opposition parties engaged in sharp exchanges on the 5th ahead of the confirmation hearings. While the opposition party warned of an offensive, calling it the worst reshuffle in terms of timing and content, the ruling party retaliated, urging them to stop obstructive attacks against the government.

Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at the People Power Party's floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th, "As the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's cabinet reshuffle begins, six ministerial candidates were nominated in the first round yesterday," adding, "In this reshuffle, in line with the president's strong will to enhance diversity among cabinet members, three female ministerial candidates were appointed, and a large number of traditional bureaucrats, scholars, and experts have joined the cabinet."

Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the party's policy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

President Yoon announced that the candidates nominated were Choi Sang-mok, former senior secretary for economic affairs at the presidential office, as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance; Song Mi-ryeong, former senior research fellow at the Korea Rural Economic Institute, as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Park Sang-woo, former president of Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), as Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Kang Do-hyung, director of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries; Oh Young-joo, second vice foreign minister, as Minister of SMEs and Startups; and Kang Jeong-ae, former president of Sookmyung Women's University, as Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

Floor leader Yoon evaluated the ministerial candidates, saying, "Excluding political colors and focusing on crisis response, there is no room for political strife in this personnel appointment," and added, "We ask the opposition party to stop their obstructive attacks against the government regarding the second-term cabinet. This is a message to take care of people's livelihoods together through constructive discussions and negotiations."

He said, "The Democratic Party has already started criticizing it as a 'runaway reshuffle,' but it is regrettable that they cannot objectively evaluate the candidates' expertise, stuck in the habit of attacking the government unconditionally," and added, "While necessary verification of candidates should be conducted, attempts to gain presence through unreasonable allegations and personal attacks during confirmation hearings ahead of the general election will only increase public disappointment with the opposition party."

Hong Ik-pyo, floor leader of the Democratic Party, criticized the reshuffle as "an appointment that abandons people's livelihoods and the economy."

Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the party strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

At the floor strategy meeting that day, Floor leader Hong said regarding the reshuffle, "This is not about individual candidates but the worst reshuffle in terms of timing and content," and added, "It is unacceptable to give seats to ministers related to economic departments who should be held responsible and dismissed for the recent economic downturn and livelihood crisis, by allowing them to run in next year's general election."

He continued, "The budget bill has not yet been negotiated, finalized, or passed in the National Assembly, so it is incomprehensible to reshuffle the Minister of Economy and Finance, who is in charge," and said, "This is the first time I have seen an administration that goes against the will of the people and ignores the economic and livelihood crisis."

Floor leader Hong said, "In the midst of economic recession and livelihood difficulties, with even economic crisis rumors for next year, it is very wrong for the president to change the economic-related cabinet like this," and added, "We will strictly scrutinize their capabilities and morality through the confirmation hearings."