Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon warned on September 15 that "South Korea cannot accept a convicted drunk driver and lobbyist as Minister of Justice," adding that if Kim Seung-won is appointed, "the public will not remain silent."
During a meeting with reporters at the National Assembly, Han stated, "The public hearing regarding Kim has been thoroughly conducted over the past 15 days. The public's judgment is already made."
He referenced the case of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who resigned about a month after his appointment in 2019, cautioning that appointing Kim would only escalate the ongoing controversies. He remarked, "If this administration appoints someone like Kim, three years will be too long. The downfall of the Lee Jae-myung administration does not require the help of any politician. The public will not stand by and watch."
Han accused Kim of having lobbied the head of the Food and Drug Safety Ministry to approve a clinical trial for a deadly poison, stating, "The stock price skyrocketed, and during that process, 93 citizens of South Korea ingested a poison that could kill a rat."
He emphasized that the public hearing had already taken place for 15 days and that ample opportunities for responses to public concerns had been provided. However, he criticized Kim and the Democratic Party, saying, "What they say is always the same: 'Han Dong-hoon is an enemy of democracy.'"
Additionally, Han responded to Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok's rebuttal of allegations regarding political funding and other issues, asking, "So did you receive 900 million won or not?" He also mentioned the name of a sponsor, Kang, questioning, "Isn't it typical patronage that you received a position as a special advisor immediately after becoming party leader?"
* This article has been translated by AI.
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