The National Assembly wrapped up its government question-and-answer session on September 14, focusing on education, culture, and social issues. This year's session, which lasted four days, has been criticized for prioritizing political conflict over addressing public concerns, particularly as discussions on constitutional amendments and cabinet reshuffles took center stage. Topics related to public welfare, such as real estate policies, ultimately devolved into blame-shifting without yielding significant solutions.
Political disputes continued during the session. The first speaker, Seobum-soo of the People Power Party, pointed out the prolonged vacancies in the positions of police chief and prosecutor general. Prime Minister Han Seung-sook assured that appointments would be finalized soon, but Seobum-soo criticized, "In today's South Korea, there is no leader for safety, and self-interest is interfering with the rule of law. When power becomes arrogant, it fails to hear the voice of the people. Isn't that the case now?"
Kim Jang-gyeom of the People Power Party raised concerns regarding the recent withdrawal of Yong Hye-in's nomination for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, suggesting that Kim Hyun-ji, the chief of the Presidential Office's first secretariat, is at the center of a leftist cartel. He asked the Prime Minister if she would consider replacing Kim to address public suspicions.
In response, Choi Min-hee of the Democratic Party countered, stating, "It seems you are still unable to move on from memories of Kim Geon-hee," and urged government officials to provide clear answers.
Kim Jang-gyeom of the People Power Party raised concerns regarding the recent withdrawal of Yong Hye-in's nomination for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, suggesting that Kim Hyun-ji, the chief of the Presidential Office's first secretariat, is at the center of a leftist cartel. He asked the Prime Minister if she would consider replacing Kim to address public suspicions.
In response, Choi Min-hee of the Democratic Party countered, stating, "It seems you are still unable to move on from memories of Kim Geon-hee," and urged government officials to provide clear answers.
Discussions on Personnel Verification, Han Dong-hoon Investigations, and Real Estate Policies
The political conflict mirrored the discussions held during the government Q&A sessions from September 9 to 11. Lawmakers clashed over the personnel verification system for ministerial candidates on September 9. Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party criticized the recent cabinet reshuffle, stating, "In the second reshuffle, the key personnel cabinet has a total of 34 issues," calling it an "unacceptable personnel disaster."
Democratic Party member Jeon Yong-ki targeted independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, who had been leading attacks against Kim Seung-won, the nominee for Minister of Justice, saying, "The prosecution should not become a 'political sponsor' that extends the political life of former prosecutors by handing over internal investigation materials to specific politicians."
On September 10, a staff member from the Prime Minister's Office, who referred to themselves as a regular citizen, sparked controversy by asking a question during a press conference held by a lawmaker. The lawmaker pointed out, "Is the Prime Minister's Office surveilling opposition lawmakers?" to which the Prime Minister replied, "Surveillance is an excessive expression." However, following the incident, the Prime Minister's Office issued a stern warning to the employee and subsequently suspended them from duty.
On the third day of questioning, focused on economic issues, discussions on real estate policies led to further blame-shifting. Park Soo-min of the People Power Party stated, "Loan regulations and punitive taxes have caused tenants to suffer greatly. Homeowners should not have to worry about taxes. We need to distinguish between taxes and penalties," criticizing the current government's tax policies.
In contrast, Democratic Party member Bok Gi-wang emphasized that the failure to supply 12,000 housing units was due to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon not operating a pre-planning consultation body, defending the previous administration and asserting, "After over six years of managing Seoul, you still blame the Lee Jae-myung government for the housing supply issues."
Democratic Party member Jeon Yong-ki targeted independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, who had been leading attacks against Kim Seung-won, the nominee for Minister of Justice, saying, "The prosecution should not become a 'political sponsor' that extends the political life of former prosecutors by handing over internal investigation materials to specific politicians."
On September 10, a staff member from the Prime Minister's Office, who referred to themselves as a regular citizen, sparked controversy by asking a question during a press conference held by a lawmaker. The lawmaker pointed out, "Is the Prime Minister's Office surveilling opposition lawmakers?" to which the Prime Minister replied, "Surveillance is an excessive expression." However, following the incident, the Prime Minister's Office issued a stern warning to the employee and subsequently suspended them from duty.
On the third day of questioning, focused on economic issues, discussions on real estate policies led to further blame-shifting. Park Soo-min of the People Power Party stated, "Loan regulations and punitive taxes have caused tenants to suffer greatly. Homeowners should not have to worry about taxes. We need to distinguish between taxes and penalties," criticizing the current government's tax policies.
In contrast, Democratic Party member Bok Gi-wang emphasized that the failure to supply 12,000 housing units was due to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon not operating a pre-planning consultation body, defending the previous administration and asserting, "After over six years of managing Seoul, you still blame the Lee Jae-myung government for the housing supply issues."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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