Following President Lee Jae-myung's announcement of his second cabinet appointments, political parties have been engaged in a heated exchange. The Democratic Party has reiterated its commitment to completing confirmation hearings before the Chuseok holiday, signaling a push for significant cooperation to minimize governance gaps. In contrast, the People Power Party has ramped up its attacks, alleging that the Lee administration is using Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee Yong Hye-in as bait to support the nomination of Justice Minister candidate Kim Seung-won.
On September 1, lawmakers from both parties continued their fierce prelude to the confirmation hearings. With the regular National Assembly session now underway, the Democratic Party expressed its determination to expedite the hearings to reduce any governance void under the Lee administration. Han Byeong-do, the party's floor leader, stated during a meeting that they aim to finalize the new cabinet before Chuseok, allowing President Lee to focus on governance.
Jo Gye-won, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party, directly criticized the People Power Party, led by Representative Jang Dong-hyuk, for its aggressive stance. Jo accused Jang of framing Kim as a 'scapegoat' and condemned the party for spreading rumors and obstructing governance efforts. He urged the opposition to refrain from undermining the government's attempts to secure national unity and momentum.
In a conversation with Aju Business Daily, Jeon Eun-soo, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party, noted that they have yet to receive the confirmation hearing request from the Blue House but plan to hold the hearings promptly once it arrives. She acknowledged that significant pressure from the People Power Party is anticipated during the hearings and emphasized their commitment to ensuring the process meets public expectations.
The People Power Party, on the same day, focused its criticism on the qualifications of the nominees, particularly highlighting the controversies surrounding Kim and Yong. Park Chung-kwon, the party's chief spokesperson, stated in a commentary that the Justice Ministry, which should be the last bastion of the Constitution and rule of law, has been reduced to a 'shield' for the president's personal misconduct.
Kang Seon-young, a lawmaker serving as the opposition's secretary on the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee, pointed out Yong's remarks about not resigning from her legislative position after being appointed as a minister. She criticized Yong, stating, 'It's not about the difficulties of an out-of-parliament party but rather an inability to forgo 1.1 billion won in party subsidies.'
Notably, the People Power Party emphasized that President Lee is using Yong as a decoy to facilitate Kim's confirmation. Na Kyung-won, a lawmaker, stated on her Facebook page on August 31, 'Yong Hye-in is merely bait; the essence is Kim Seung-won,' arguing that the administration is attempting to create extreme conflict to distract from Kim's past involvement in efforts to dismiss charges against him.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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