Prime Minister Nominee Kim Minseok's Confirmation Hearing Begins on the 24th
Kim Daesik: "The Democratic Party, Now the Ruling Party, Should Practice Broad-Minded Politics"
President Lee: "Let's Observe Nominee Kim's Explanations During the Confirmation Hearing"
With a two-day confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Minseok Kim scheduled to begin on the 24th, Daesik Kim, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, stated that a boycott of the hearing is unlikely. In an interview with YTN Radio's 'News Fighting' on the 23rd, Kim said, "Even if we oppose until the end, if the Democratic Party is determined to handle it alone, there is no way to stop them," adding, "I hope the Democratic Party will show patience and engage in politics with a broader perspective."
Kim continued, "Although we have been in constant confrontation, the Democratic Party is now the ruling party," and argued, "President Lee Jaemyung said in his inaugural address, 'Those who opposed me are also our people' and 'I will be president for all of Korea.' Therefore, the ruling party should align itself with this message and share its intent." He further emphasized, "In a sense, the Prime Minister is the constitutional official next in rank after the President, so it is a position of great responsibility. The voice of the opposition should be heard as the voice of the people, not just the opposition, and I hope nominee Kim approaches the confirmation hearing with humility."
He also stated, "I believe nominee Kim needs to provide explanations that are convincing to the public, not just simple clarifications," adding, "I hope the process of accumulating his assets, among other matters, meets the public's expectations. This is an important issue directly tied to the overall morality of the public service sector."
On the 22nd, President Lee Jaemyung held a luncheon meeting with the leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. This was the first such meeting since President Lee took office. It is reported that the People Power Party raised concerns about Prime Minister nominee Minseok Kim after the luncheon was switched to a closed-door format. Woo Sangho, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, said in a briefing after the luncheon, "The opposition party leaders pointed out significant issues regarding the verification and response to nominee Kim," adding, "They also raised concerns about his attitude during the verification process." In response, President Lee reportedly said, "It is desirable to observe nominee Kim's explanations during the confirmation hearing." Woo also explained, "He specifically mentioned that when even family backgrounds are questioned, capable individuals may be reluctant to serve in government positions."
Regarding this, Eonseok Song, floor leader of the People Power Party, told reporters at the National Assembly, "Since nominee Kim is not in line with public expectations, I once again emphasized that this would be a significant burden on the President and the new government's administration," adding, "President Lee said he would watch the confirmation hearing and did not give an immediate answer." He further remarked, "I believe this indirectly indicates that there is no intention to withdraw the nomination."
On the same day, Sujin Choi, floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, issued a statement saying, "There are far too many issues with nominee Kim, including problems with his master's degree process at Tsinghua University in China, questionable sponsors, omission of 600 million won in cash from his asset report, his child's internship at Hong Kong University and use of parental privilege for expensive overseas education, false registration of residence, illegal political funds, and past anti-American activities." She continued, "In terms of policy capability, security perspective, and public office ethics, nominee Kim is surrounded by numerous suspicions. Despite this, he is refusing to accept witnesses and references for verification and is not submitting relevant documents." She concluded, "The confirmation hearing should be extended to three days, and nominee Kim must be thoroughly vetted for morality, policy competence, security perspective, past conduct, and overall ideological orientation."
In contrast, Minsu Han, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a briefing, "The People Power Party is neglecting self-reflection and reform, forgetting their own faults, and is focused solely on obstructing state affairs," adding, "It is almost pitiable to see the People Power Party so intent on hindering the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration by any means necessary."
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