PPP Urges Kang Sunwoo to Decide on Her Own Position, Presses for Resignation

"Democratic Party, Stop Using Tricks at the Confirmation Hearings
Face the Process with Fairness and Integrity"

Song Eonseok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, urged Kang Sunwoo, the Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee who faced "gapjil" (abuse of power) allegations during the previous day's confirmation hearing, to voluntarily step down, saying, "At this point, you should make your own decision regarding your position."

At the Floor Strategy Meeting held at the National Assembly on this day, Song stated, "Three years ago, nominee Kang said, 'Emotions such as empathy, shame, and a sense of disgrace are learned from one's parents. Minister, it is unfortunate that you seem not to have observed and learned these things.' I would like to return these very words to nominee Kang."

Song Eonseok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Floor Strategy Meeting held at the National Assembly on July 15, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

In November 2022, nominee Kang made remarks to Lee Sangmin, then Minister of the Interior and Safety, regarding the Itaewon disaster, saying, "Emotions such as empathy, shame, and a sense of disgrace are not innate but learned from one's parents. Minister, it is very unfortunate that you seem not to have observed and learned these things."

Song criticized, "Watching the confirmation hearing yesterday, nominee Kang described food waste as 'leftovers that could not be finished.' She also changed her explanation, saying that the bidet repair was requested not from aides at the parliamentary office but from aides at the local office."

He continued, "Regarding the part where she said she would take legal action against the whistleblower, she explained that the document was created internally to share the flow of events, and it was leaked unintentionally. However, the content created internally itself is problematic, yet she distorted the essence by making it seem as though the leak was the main issue."

Song also criticized Jeong Dongyoung, the nominee for Minister of Unification, who claimed he invested in solar energy as a means of livelihood, saying, "This does not align with common sense." He pointed out to nominee Jeong, "Your remarks only confirm the rumors that the real purpose of covering the entire country with solar panels by cutting down forests during the five years of the Moon Jaein administration was, in fact, a financial scheme for left-wing activist figures."

Furthermore, Song criticized the Democratic Party of Korea's approach to the confirmation hearings. He said, "From the very first day, they used their absolute majority to completely block the adoption of witnesses. Out of 17 confirmation hearings, there were only 2 witnesses." He added, "They merely tried to avoid public scrutiny, thinking that if they just stalled for a day, it would be over. Stop using tricks and face the process with fairness and integrity."