PPP: "We requested documents yesterday but received nothing"
Kim calls Joo Jinwoo's suspicions "the actions of bad prosecutors"... People Power Party protests
Democratic Party: "Focus on policy questions... No defamation allowed"
On the final day of the confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Minseok Kim, the ruling and opposition parties continued their uncompromising disputes over various allegations surrounding the nominee and the insufficient submission of documents. The People Power Party maintained its position that it cannot agree to the adoption of the hearing report, citing that serious issues regarding Kim's morality and qualifications have already been confirmed. In contrast, the Democratic Party of Korea suggested it would push ahead with the confirmation, dismissing the objections as mere obstructionism.
Prime Minister nominee Minseok Kim is adjusting his glasses while attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 25th. Photo by Yonhap News
Bae Junyoung, the People Power Party secretary of the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Personnel Hearings, criticized during the second day of Kim's confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 25th, "Yesterday, we repeatedly requested documents, but we have not received anything, including records of entry and exit from China, Tsinghua University transcripts, gift tax payment records, or documents related to loan repayments." He added, "That is why the nominee is being called the 'documentless Prime Minister.' It is shameful."
In response, Park Sunwon, a Democratic Party lawmaker, countered, "The honor of the Prime Minister nominee is also important. I do not agree at all with suspicions about questionable funds or claims that he kept and used large amounts of cash, and I believe all of these have been explained." He continued, "The hearing should focus on policy questions, and it is unacceptable to continue digging into the nominee’s personal matters, disparaging him without basis, and damaging his reputation."
The ruling and opposition parties also clashed over Kim's attitude the previous day. Kim Heejung of the People Power Party requested that Lee Jongbae, the chairman of the hearing committee, ask for an apology, stating that Kim had referred to suspicions raised by Joo Jinwoo of the People Power Party on Facebook as "the actions of bad prosecutors who fabricate things." When Kim responded, "I do not believe there is anything to apologize for," opposition lawmakers protested.
During the previous day’s hearing, the two parties fiercely debated various issues that had been raised but failed to narrow their differences. Regarding the key issue of asset formation, Kim explained that although his expenditures over the past five years exceeded his income as a lawmaker, he had additional income totaling approximately 610 million won, including 160 million won in condolence money, 250 million won from a publication event, and 200 million won in support from his wife’s family. The Democratic Party claimed that the suspicions had been resolved, but the People Power Party argued that earning hundreds of millions of won from condolence money and publication events does not meet public expectations and could also violate the Kim Youngran Act.
In addition, there were unresolved disputes over other issues, such as allegations of "dad chance" involving Kim's son, who submitted a bill to the National Assembly that he had drafted as a high school club activity; controversy over Kim's completion of a master’s program at Tsinghua University in China in 2010; and questions regarding a lease contract for a villa owned by his mother. Kim also appeared cornered when he failed to properly answer questions from Kim Heejung about the national debt ratio and the size of the government budget. However, political observers noted that the opposition mostly repeated existing suspicions and did not deliver a decisive blow.
The Democratic Party is expected to complete the confirmation process by next week, regardless of whether the People Power Party agrees, once the hearing concludes. Jeon Hyunhee, a senior member of the Democratic Party, emphasized at the morning leadership meeting, "The confirmation hearing is a place to verify the qualifications and abilities of public officials, not for partisan maneuvering. Kim is the right person to assist the president in overcoming an unprecedented national crisis. Most of the suspicions raised by the People Power Party have been sufficiently explained."
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