"From Legislative Dictatorship to Administrative Dictatorship Begins"
"Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Must Stop Illegal Briefings"
The People Power Party has proposed to the Democratic Party of Korea that an additional day be allotted for the confirmation hearing of Kang Sunwoo, the nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, who is facing allegations of workplace abuse against her aides.
People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader Song Eonseok is speaking at the members' meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 23rd. Photo by Yonhap News
Song Eonseok, Chairman of the Emergency Response Committee and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, said at a members' meeting held in the main building of the National Assembly on the 23rd, "President Lee Jaemyung has sent a final ultimatum to the National Assembly to submit confirmation hearing reports for four nominees?Ahn Kyubaek, Chung Dongyoung, Kwon Oeul, and Kang Sunwoo?by tomorrow."
Song emphasized, "This is a forced appointment that disregards the people," adding, "We are witnessing the beginning of administrative dictatorship that abuses appointment authority, going beyond legislative dictatorship that abuses legislative power."
Regarding Ahn Kyubaek, the nominee for Minister of National Defense, Song pointed out, "He reportedly served 22 months as a reservist, even though the service period is only 14 months. If he simply submitted his military service certificate, he could have cleared up public suspicions, but he refused to do so until the end."
Song continued, "Then there is Chung Dongyoung, who submitted a conflict-of-interest bill while his family was engaged in solar energy investments; Kwon Oeul, a habitual violator of the Public Official Election Act; and Kang Sunwoo, the so-called 'queen of workplace abuse'?I don't even want to mention their names."
Addressing Kang Sunwoo, who is proceeding toward appointment despite the abuse allegations, Song said, "There are already rumors that she has received departmental briefings as if she has already been appointed minister. Is this true? People are even saying that if she wants the ministerial post so badly, she should resign from her parliamentary seat and be appointed as minister instead."
Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is leaving the hearing room after the morning questioning session was adjourned at the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee hearing on the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News
Song further stated, "Does the public really accept the Democratic Party's explanation that aides are like family and thus can be asked to do personal tasks? I warn the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family: immediately stop any illegal briefings to the ministerial nominee."
He went on to criticize, "Why has the personnel verification system of the Lee Jaemyung administration collapsed like this? The reason is that those responsible for verification?such as the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, the Secretary for Public Office Discipline, and the Legal Affairs Secretary?have been replaced with members of the president's legal defense team, and key positions in the personnel verification line have been filled with close associates from the Seongnam-Gyeonggi faction."
Song concluded, "Stop talking about the 'buffalo strategy' and establish a personnel system that appoints people who meet public expectations. Otherwise, it is only a matter of time before public anger charges at the Lee Jaemyung administration like a herd of buffalo."
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