A Series of Confirmation Hearings for Ministerial Nominees Ahead
Ruling Party Controls Committees, Opposition Lacks Strategy
Concerns Over Repetition of Kim Minseok's Hearing
The People Power Party is preparing for a series of confirmation hearings for ministerial nominees, vowing to conduct rigorous scrutiny. After failing to block the confirmation of Kim Minseok as Prime Minister despite various allegations, the party intends to intensify its offensive. However, concerns are emerging that another round of lackluster hearings may occur, as the ruling party holds the majority in most standing committees and the opposition has not demonstrated significant resistance against the administration.
According to political circles on July 4, confirmation hearings are scheduled for Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, on July 14; Kim Younghoon, nominee for Minister of Employment and Labor, and Kwon Oeul, nominee for Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, on July 15; and Kim Younghoon again on July 16.
The schedules for the remaining ministerial nominees' hearings will be determined soon, depending on coordination within each standing committee. With President Lee Jaemyung nominating ministers for 17 out of 19 ministries, a series of confirmation hearings is expected to follow.
The People Power Party has announced its intention to conduct thorough vetting. Since it was unable to prevent the appointment of the Prime Minister, the party is now determined to focus on investigating the various allegations surrounding the remaining ministerial nominees.
The party has raised a number of allegations. For Jeong Dongyeong, nominee for Minister of Unification; Cho Hyun, nominee for Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Jeong Eunkyung, nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, the party has concentrated on potential conflicts of interest. Jeong Dongyeong is alleged to have introduced related legislation while his family was operating a solar power company. In the case of Jeong Eunkyung, controversy arose when her spouse purchased shares in a mask manufacturing company while she was leading the national COVID-19 response as head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Other allegations include Kwon Oeul allegedly receiving salaries from multiple regional companies at the same time ("double-dipping"), and Baek Kyunghoon, nominee for Minister of Science and ICT, allegedly claiming unjust personal tax deductions by listing parents whose income exceeded the eligibility threshold as dependents. Han Seongsook, nominee for Minister of SMEs and Startups, faces suspicions regarding the leasing of a building at an unusually low price and her mother’s alleged violation of the Farmland Act.
Despite the opposition’s pledge to mount an aggressive offensive, most observers expect the hearings to end without much drama. The ruling party holds a majority in all 12 standing committees and chairs 7 of them, making it difficult for the opposition to break through the ruling party’s defenses.
There are also concerns that the nominees will simply endure the scrutiny during the hearings. Since Prime Minister Kim passed his confirmation hearing with only verbal explanations and without submitting witnesses or documents, there is a possibility that this pattern will be repeated.
The opposition has yet to devise an effective strategy. During Prime Minister Kim’s hearing, which focused on various allegations, they failed to deliver a decisive blow. The opposition has not formed an organization to develop a comprehensive strategy beyond responding at the individual committee level. Instead, it has relied on public hearings, protest rallies, and sit-ins to sway public opinion. An opposition official commented, "Since the confirmation hearing for Prime Minister Kim, which was a collection of various allegations, ended without much impact, it is highly likely that the remaining hearings will proceed in a similar manner."
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