"Favoring Allies Over National Unity"
On August 14, the People Power Party criticized President Lee Jaemyung for finalizing his Cabinet appointments, calling it "judicial shielding and factional favoritism until the very end."
Park Sunghoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary that "for this administration, terms like 'national unity' do not exist in its vocabulary, as seen with appointments from the Unified Progressive Party, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, Minbyun, and even the President's own legal defense team." He added, "From the Prime Minister to secretaries, the shameless practice of appointing 'my people, my side' knows no end."
Regarding attorney Lee Chanjin, who has been nominated as the governor of the Financial Supervisory Service, Park said, "He is a Judicial Research and Training Institute classmate of President Lee Jaemyung and served as the defense attorney in both the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case and the violation of the Public Official Election Act involving President Lee." Park claimed, "This appointment prioritizes loyalty to the President over stabilizing the financial markets or responding to crises."
He pointed out that, including Lee Chanjin, a total of 12 legal professionals who have handled President Lee's cases have already secured key government positions, such as the head of the Ministry of Government Legislation (Cho Woncheol), the director of planning and coordination at the National Intelligence Service (Kim Heesu), and various secretarial roles in the presidential office overseeing civil affairs, public discipline, and legal affairs.
Park also criticized Choi Kyojin, superintendent of the Sejong City Office of Education and nominee for Minister of Education, as well as a professor from Pusan National University Law School nominated for chairperson of the National Education Commission, labeling them as "Democratic Party-aligned appointments."
He said, "Choi is the first Minister of Education in Korean history with a background in the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union," adding, "This is why there are concerns that Democratic Party-aligned appointees will turn Korea's education system into a 'training ground for Democratic Party members.'"
Park warned, "If this is not sheer arrogance that disregards public opinion, how can such individuals brazenly assume high-level public office?" He pledged, "We will continue to track these appointments made for shielding and rewarding loyalty in this administration and will hold them accountable without fail."
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