Prime Minister nominee Kim Minseok is taking bold steps focused on public livelihood, including receiving ministry briefings before even passing his parliamentary confirmation hearing. Meanwhile, the opposition party has raised allegations regarding Kim's past private debts and the process of obtaining his master's degree, pressuring him to withdraw his nomination.
Prime Minister nominee Minseok Kim is speaking at the economic and livelihood sector ministry briefing held on the 16th at the hearing preparation office set up at the Financial Supervisory Service Training Institute in Tonguidong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
On the 16th, Kim received briefings from economic and livelihood-related ministries at the Financial Supervisory Service Training Institute in Jongno-gu, Seoul. He stated, "I will examine the scope, depth, and reality of the current economic crisis, which could be referred to as a second IMF crisis," and added, "Clarifying the reality of the crisis is the first step to overcoming it." The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Financial Services Commission, and the Fair Trade Commission.
Kim stated, "I will check the progress of preparations for policies that can be implemented within 100 days and that the public can tangibly feel," urging participants, "To correct the setbacks of the past three years, we must run at full speed for at least 100 days." He also said, "I will check the progress of emergency measures to revitalize the stagnant public livelihood and policies addressing food prices." In addition, Kim instructed that a platform be established to allow citizens' proposals to be reflected in government policy.
Kim emphasized in particular, "In this government, which was launched in the midst of a crisis of overcoming internal disorder and without a transition committee, the only way to actually work is to 'implement the president's directives.'" He stressed, "The Lee Jaemyung administration will be a 'listening, pragmatic government' that is fully committed to achieving results for the public." As President Lee departed that day to attend the G7 summit, Kim urged extraordinary measures, stating, "It is only natural that during the three days the president is away, public officials should automatically consider this an emergency duty period."
Immediately after being nominated as the first prime minister of the new administration, Kim stressed, "First, second, and third priorities are all public livelihood." On June 13, he also met with representatives from the food and restaurant industries, continuing his schedule focused on public welfare.
The National Assembly has not yet finalized the schedule for Kim's confirmation hearing. Kim Yongtae, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, raised suspicions the previous day regarding Kim's private debt, alleging the creation of a 'false loan agreement.' He said, "The formality of a loan was met, but the actual funds remain unclear," and added, "If you wish for the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration, reflect on what you should do." Kang Jeonae, spokesperson for the People Power Party, also commented, "The suspicions regarding Kim's debt are not just a matter of personal morality, but rather suspicions of organized financial transactions using power," demanding, "Stop deceiving the people and immediately withdraw your nomination."
In response, Kim explained on his Facebook page, "I have persistently repaid all the burdens of progressive gift taxes exceeding 1 billion won (linked to additional tax assessments), additional taxes, and private debts." He added, "According to legal precedents, I have been diligent enough before national debts that I could even request a refund." He further questioned, "At my age, without even a single house and with assets barely reaching 200 million won at most, what kind of corruption could possibly occur?" However, he did not specifically address the opposition's allegation of a 'false loan agreement.'
The opposition also intensified its attack by questioning the process by which Kim obtained his master's degree from Tsinghua University in China. Kim Kiheon, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, remarked, "Unless he has an avatar in China, it would have been impossible to obtain a master's degree from Tsinghua University and run for mayor of Busan at the same time in 2010," sarcastically adding, "He must have supernatural abilities that transcend time and space."
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