"Kang Hoonshik, Chief Presidential Secretary, Informed President Lee"
"President Lee Made No Particular Remarks"
The 'Invincibility Myth' of Incumbent Lawmakers Broken
With Kang Sunwoo, the nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, voluntarily withdrawing from consideration amid allegations of mistreatment of aides, this marks the first time in 25 years since the introduction of the confirmation hearing system that a sitting member of the National Assembly has failed to secure a cabinet post. As a result, the so-called "invincibility of incumbent lawmakers" myth has been broken. On July 23, President Lee Jaemyung was informed of Kang's voluntary withdrawal by Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoonshik in the afternoon.
On the same day, Presidential Office spokesperson Kang Yujeong explained at a briefing held at the Yongsan presidential office, "At 2:30 p.m. today, nominee Kang conveyed her intention to withdraw to Chief Presidential Secretary Kang Hoonshik, who then relayed this to President Lee Jaemyung." About an hour after expressing her intention to resign to Chief Secretary Kang, at around 3:30 p.m., Kang announced her withdrawal on her social media account.
Spokesperson Kang further stated, "President Lee did not make any particular remarks upon receiving the report from Chief Secretary Kang," and added, "We will promptly seek a nominee who meets the expectations of the public."
When asked whether there had been any communication between President Lee and nominee Kang regarding her position, spokesperson Kang replied, "It is difficult for me to confirm such matters," and continued, "To my knowledge, what I have just explained is all there is. I also understand that Woo Sangho, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, did not specifically consult with the Democratic Party's parliamentary leadership regarding this matter."
In response to a question about possible flaws in the presidential office's personnel vetting system, spokesperson Kang said, "The personnel verification process is being conducted thoroughly and rigorously," but also added, "I believe there are areas we need to examine further to ensure we find nominees and appointees who meet the expectations of the public, possibly by employing a wider range of methods." She continued, "We will strive to balance promptness with greater rigor so that we can approach this matter with the seriousness and caution that public opinion demands."
Introducing herself as the nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, Kang expressed her apologies to the public via social media, stating, "It seems this is as far as I can go," and announced her decision to withdraw from consideration. She also apologized to President Lee Jaemyung and to her party.
Kang said, "I feel nothing but endless regret toward President Lee Jaemyung, who trusted me and gave me this opportunity," and continued, "I have also become a significant burden to our beloved Democratic Party, which stood with me through difficult times." She added, "Although I am far from perfect, I truly wanted to give my all and do well," expressing her disappointment. She concluded, "I will humbly accept this stern rebuke and live my life with self-reflection."
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