Kim: "All Applicants Informed That Prospective Master's Degree Holders Were Eligible"
Kim Moon-soo: "Will Investigate If Necessary After Review"
Kim Hong-gyun, the First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the 3rd refuted opposition party allegations that Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung's daughter received preferential employment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating that she was hired through a blind recruitment process and "there was no situation where any special favors could have been given."
During an urgent inquiry session at the National Assembly that day, in response to a question from Han Jeong-ae of the Democratic Party of Korea, First Vice Minister Kim said, "(Prosecutor General Shim's daughter) was hired through a blind recruitment process where no personal information of applicants, such as their identities, was requested during the document screening or interview stages," and answered accordingly.
Regarding the criticism that the employment qualification was 'a master's degree holder in the relevant field,' but Prosecutor General Shim's daughter was employed as a 'prospective master's degree recipient,' he countered, "Since the recruitment process took place in January and February, it was understood that those who were expected to obtain a master's degree could prove it and have their qualifications recognized," adding, "This has been implemented since 2021."
Kim Hong-gyun, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, is responding to a question from Jung Hae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, during the urgent issue questioning session on "Recovery from the wildfire situation and damage countermeasures in the Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Ulsan regions and protection of constitutional order" held at the National Assembly plenary session on April 3, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyun-min
When Representative Han pointed out that "the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission recommended all administrative agencies not to do so because it constitutes recruitment corruption," Kim replied, "It was a recommendation, and in following that procedure, we applied it fairly to everyone." He argued that informing all applicants that prospective master's degree holders were eligible and that the evaluation of experience was reviewed by a committee including HR experts meant it was not preferential employment.
Regarding the background of disqualifying the one initial applicant in the final interview, First Vice Minister Kim stated, "Six people applied, and among them, only one person held a master's degree in economics," adding, "All interviewers commonly gave lower evaluations regarding the accuracy and logic of the applicant's expression."
In response to a question suggesting that changing the qualification from 'master's degree holder in economics' to 'master's degree holder in international politics' in a reannouncement a month later was an attempt to give preferential treatment to Prosecutor General Shim's daughter, he emphasized, "Although the field was broadened, 19 people applied, and only one had a bachelor's degree in economics, who was also eliminated in the document screening," stressing, "The major field was not changed with any particular individual in mind."
Employment and Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, when Representative Han requested an investigation into Prosecutor General Shim's daughter's employment, said, "We will review and conduct it if necessary," adding, "If a case is filed with our ministry or if we have serious suspicions, I can promise that we will conduct a transparent, fair, and strict investigation without disappointing your expectations."
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