Former Minbohyeop Presidents Urge Kang Sunwoo to Apologize and Step Down Immediately

First Public Call for Resignation Within the Ruling Party
Minbohyeop: "Kang Sunwoo Lacks Even the Basic Attitude Required of a Lawmaker"

The Democratic Party Aides Council (Minbohyeop), an association of aides for the Democratic Party of Korea, on July 16 called for the immediate resignation of Kang Sunwoo, the nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, who has been embroiled in allegations of workplace abuse toward aides. This marks the first public demand for Kang's resignation from within the Democratic Party.

Former presidents of Minbohyeop issued a statement that day, saying, "For the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration, Kang Sunwoo must immediately offer a sincere apology to the public and voluntarily step down from her nomination as minister to take at least minimal responsibility. Public office is not a privilege, but a position to serve the people. It is time for both the National Assembly and the government to reflect deeply on this principle."

They stated, "For a member of the National Assembly, aides are not mere employees. They are partners who support the entirety of legislative activities, including legislation, policy, budgets, public relations, elections, accounting, and civil petitions, serving as a bridge between the people and the National Assembly. Kang Sunwoo's abusive behavior that disregarded the dignity of these aides cannot be seen as anything other than a fundamental lack of the basic attitude required of a Minister of Gender Equality and Family, or even a member of the National Assembly."

They further emphasized, "The attitude toward aides who assist in legislative activities is, in fact, the attitude toward the people. For someone who has wielded authority under the pretext of power and repeatedly engaged in abusive conduct without recognizing what was wrong to be appointed as Minister of Gender Equality and Family is unacceptable to the public and contrary to the spirit of the times."

Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is taking the oath at the confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee on July 14, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

The former presidents of Minbohyeop, who said they had hoped Kang Sunwoo would offer an explanation during the confirmation hearing, criticized, "The nominee's position confirmed during the hearing was not an explanation but mere false excuses, and she was only focused on emotional appeals and off-topic self-defense."

The former presidents of Minbohyeop also expressed regret that it was members of the opposing People Power Party who stood up for the aides during the hearing. They said, "For aides to expose the abuse of power by a member of the National Assembly within the Assembly itself is not something that can be done with ordinary courage. We wanted someone to convey to them, 'We support you,' 'We are with you.' However, it is all the more heartbreaking that, ironically, it was a member of the People Power Party who offered them even a small measure of comfort during the hearing."

They added, "Democratic Party aides have stood on the front lines to block the nights of martial law and rebellion, and we wish for the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration, born with the support of the people in these serious times, more than anyone else." They once again urged Kang Sunwoo to offer a sincere apology and voluntarily step down.