"A confirmation hearing must be held...
A platform that serves the people"
Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, has pressured Lee Hyehoon, the nominee for Minister of Planning and Budget, to voluntarily step down. He also argued that if she does not resign, President Lee Jaemyung should make a decisive move, such as withdrawing her nomination.
Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, is delivering a New Year's address at the 2026 New Year's Meeting for Small and Medium Business Owners held at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business in Yeouido, Seoul on January 13, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongju
On January 21, during an interview with CBS Radio, Cho stated, "Nominee Lee should step down on her own," adding, "If she does not, it would be an act that burdens the President." He continued, "I saw reports that she profited from a lottery housing subscription by making it appear as if her son was unmarried. Regardless of political ideology, in most cases like this, the nominee is not qualified to become a minister," emphasizing, "She should make a swift decision herself, rather than passing the responsibility to the President." When asked if the President should withdraw the nomination if she does not make a decision, he replied, "Yes."
Cho also expressed a critical view regarding Lee's qualifications. He said, "Nominee Lee has previously chanted 'Yoon Suk Yeol Again' and opposed impeachment. Although she claims to have changed her stance after being nominated, I am skeptical about how such convictions can be reversed overnight." He added, "She is described as an economic expert, but she is a proponent of neoliberal economic philosophy and policies, which run counter to the economic direction of the Lee Jaemyung administration."
However, Cho insisted that a confirmation hearing for Lee should still be held. He explained, "Although I hold a very critical view of the nominee, we must follow the procedures set by law. The confirmation hearing is not only a platform for the opposition, but also for the nominee herself, and fundamentally, it serves the people."
Meanwhile, Cho announced his intention to run in both the local elections and the parliamentary by-elections scheduled for June. He said, "Whether it is the local elections or the by-elections, I will run unconditionally. After the party completes the process of identifying and placing candidates for the local elections, I will announce in March where I will run." When asked whether he prefers to run in the local elections or the parliamentary by-elections, he responded, "I will run wherever the party's strategic planning team decides I should."
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