Democrats pressure nominee Yong Hye-in to step aside while going all out to defend Kim Seung-won

On the 13th, ahead of a 'super week' packed with parliamentary confirmation hearings, the Democratic Party of Korea invoked 'the public's standards' to pressure Yong Hye-in, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, to make a decision, while pouring all its efforts into defending Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won.

In Yong's case, since the power of appointment rests solely with the president, the Democratic Party is hoping she will withdraw of her own accord.

The party takes the opposite stance on Kim. Chairman Kim Min-seok said on the 11th of the nominee, "The more I look at it, the more I judge it to be a good appointment. We will defend him." The Democratic Party judges that the allegations of special favors and lobbying regarding approval of a COVID-19 treatment clinical trial have been resolved as a matter with no legal problems, that Kim received a suspended indictment from the prosecution under the Yoon Suk-yeol government, and that there is no new evidence proving a quid pro quo. With the launch of the Corruption Investigation Office and the prosecution service coming on the 2nd of next month and a transformation of the criminal justice system at stake, the party line is that Kim, who as secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee led prosecutorial reform legislation, must be defended.

However, a Korea Gallup poll showing that 'not qualified' opinions (43%) outnumbered 'qualified' ones (22%) by nearly double weighed on the party.