Reform Party: "Kang Sunwoo's Voluntary Resignation Was Inevitable... President Lee Must Apologize"

"Lee Jaemyung Administration's Personnel System,
A Comprehensive Failure"

The Reform Party commented on the voluntary resignation of Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, on the 23rd, stating, "Although belated, this was the inevitable outcome," and called for an apology from President Lee Jaemyung for his failure in personnel vetting.

Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, is answering questions from committee members at the confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee on the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News

Lee Donghun, chief spokesperson for the Reform Party, said in a statement that afternoon, "Kang Sunwoo, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, has voluntarily resigned. No power can overcome the will of the people."

Chief spokesperson Lee pointed out, "However, the public's anger is not solely an issue concerning Kang Sunwoo as an individual," and added, "The failure in vetting, controversies over morality, and the arrogant persistence are all part of the comprehensive failure of the personnel system under the Lee Jaemyung administration."

He continued, "President Lee must now be clear. He should formally acknowledge the failure in personnel appointments and offer an official apology to the people," emphasizing, "Furthermore, during the process of appointing a successor, thorough vetting must be conducted to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, and the entire personnel system should be overhauled."

On the same day, Kang announced her intention to voluntarily resign via Facebook, a social networking service (SNS), stating, "I offer my apologies to the people who must have been hurt."

With Kang's resignation, the so-called "invincibility of sitting lawmakers" myth was broken for the first time since the introduction of the National Assembly confirmation hearing system in 2000.