People Power Party: "Donation Records Must Be Submitted to Dispel Suspicions"
Democratic Party: "Blaming and Pressuring the Nominee... This Is an Invasion of Privacy"
The National Assembly continued the confirmation hearing for Kim Ho-chul, nominee for Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, on the afternoon of the 29th. However, the session was adjourned just 20 minutes after it resumed due to disputes between the ruling and opposition parties over the submission of documents.
Kim Mi-ae, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, urged Kim to submit details of his political donations, stating, "Anyone can verify the past five years of records simply by authenticating their identity through the Political Donations Center and the online system."
Kim Ho-chul, nominee for Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, is attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 29th and responding to lawmakers' questions. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
When Kim responded that "small donations are processed anonymously under the Political Funds Act, and this is in line with the purpose of donations," Assemblywoman Kim said, "It is not for you to judge what is right or wrong; that is for the people to decide." She added, "Since concerns about conflicts of interest and political bias are constantly being raised, I hope you will submit the information to help resolve these suspicions."
Kwak Kyutaek, also from the People Power Party, joined in, stating, "As a nominee for Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, you should submit the basic documents that all other public officials provide." He added, "At the very least, you must submit the customs declaration status and any violations for yourself and your spouse." He further noted, "There was a case in the past where a prosecutor general nominee was forced to withdraw because his wife failed to properly declare a single bag she brought in."
On the other hand, Kim Seungwon, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker and secretary of the ruling party, emphasized, "Overall, the nominee has no suspicions of real estate speculation, and any concerns about stock investments have been fully resolved." He continued, "From this confirmation hearing onward, I hope we can refrain from targeting the nominee's children. How could an adult child have any influence on the nominee's role as Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection?" He criticized, "Demanding the submission of all elementary, middle, and high school records is excessive."
Lee Yeonhee, another Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, also criticized, "The nominee has already submitted 75% of the required documents, and has additionally provided materials requested by opposition lawmakers." She added, "It is unreasonable to blame the nominee and to pressure him to submit more documents." She pointed out, "When it comes to matters concerning the nominee's children, these are areas related to privacy, and the children are already adults with their own rights. This confirmation hearing should not become an exercise in invading personal privacy."
Ultimately, Jeong Jeomsik, the committee chair and a member of the People Power Party, declared an adjournment at around 3 p.m., just 20 minutes after the session resumed, in order to facilitate discussions between the parties regarding the submission of documents. Earlier in the morning, the People Power Party had already requested an adjournment, citing insufficient documentation from the nominee. Although Kim submitted additional materials in the afternoon, the People Power Party raised the issue again.
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