Kang Deukgu Praises Withdrawal of Lee Jinsuk Nomination as "Resolute Decision Following the Will of the People"

Reactions to the Withdrawal of Lee Jinsuk's Nomination as Minister of Education
Kang Deukgu: "President Lee Respects the National Assembly and Listens to the Opposition"
Kim Yongtae: "If He Were Truly Fair, Kang Sunwoo's Nomination Would Have Been Withdrawn Too"

President Lee Jaemyung has withdrawn the nomination of Lee Jinsuk as Minister of Education, and Kang Deukgu, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, praised the move as "a resolute decision that follows the will of the people" and said, "It was very well done." On the 20th, Kang stated on his social media, "I courageously urged the nominee to voluntarily step down, but when she could not make the decision herself, President Lee made the decision directly."

Lee Jinsuk, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education nominee, is returning to her seat after submitting the oath statement to Committee Chairman Kim Youngho during the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly Education Committee on the 16th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Kang added, "Before making the final decision, President Lee met with the floor leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties," and continued, "He is a leader who meets the expectations of the people, understands the public sentiment, respects the National Assembly, and listens to the voices of the opposition. That is President Lee." He further stated, "The Lee Jaemyung administration is different. It is not arrogant like the Yoon Sukyeol administration. It knows how to accept public criticism and uphold the will of the people. You can truly look forward to the success of the Lee Jaemyung administration and the changes in Korea."

Prior to this decision, on the afternoon of the 19th, President Lee held a private meeting with Kim Byungki, floor leader of the Democratic Party, and Song Eonseok, floor leader of the People Power Party. During this meeting, Song requested the withdrawal of nominations for both candidates, but President Lee reportedly did not give a clear answer.

Previously, Kang had called for the nominee to voluntarily step down. On the 19th, he wrote on social media, "Violations of research ethics, an anti-democratic administrative record, and a lack of expertise are significant disqualifications that cannot be overlooked," and added, "Even now, I urge the nominee to make a wise decision for the future of the nation and education." Kim Sangwook, another Democratic Party lawmaker, also commented on the 17th, "I hope the nominee will stop burdening the president."

Woo Sangho, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, stated at a briefing on the 19th, "President Lee continued to listen to various opinions and deliberated extensively," and "As a result, he decided to withdraw the nomination of Lee Jinsuk." In contrast, Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is reportedly still scheduled to be appointed. Park Sanghyuk, chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, commented on the withdrawal of the nomination, stating, "The People Power Party should stop obstructing state affairs and cooperate from now on."

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

The People Power Party responded positively to the withdrawal of the nomination. On the 20th, Jo Junghoon, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, wrote on social media, "The very act of nominating someone who could not even demonstrate the basics of education was a decision that put the people to the test," and added, "The withdrawal is not a period, but merely the beginning?like just taking out a single pencil." He continued, "The Minister of Education is not just an administrator, but someone who must draw the blueprint for the future of our children. Next time, please nominate a real educator whom the people can support."

Kim Yongtae, another lawmaker from the People Power Party, also wrote on social media on the 21st, "The withdrawal of the nomination is a natural outcome and should serve as a lesson." Kim pointed out, "There were issues with public sentiment, a lack of expertise, and problems with research ethics. Moreover, there were no significant strengths to offset these serious weaknesses," and added, "It was very disappointing to see the ruling party nominate such a person as a ministerial candidate, defend her at all costs, and try to avoid the issues."

However, he also criticized the continued push for Kang Sunwoo's appointment, stating, "If the president were truly fair, he would have withdrawn Kang Sunwoo's nomination as well. In the end, the withdrawal of Lee Jinsuk's nomination was merely a move to save Kang Sunwoo."