Han Dong-hoon protests demand for his audit report: 'Does this even make sense?'

Independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon pushed back against the request for his supporters' association accounting report as hearing material, asking, "Does this situation even make sense?" A supporters' association accounting report is a ledger disclosing how money donated by a politician's supporters is spent. Rep. Son Sol of the Progressive Party had requested it from the National Election Commission as material for the confirmation hearing of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won.

In a Facebook post on the 14th, Rep. Han claimed that Rep. Son had requested his supporters' association accounting report from the National Election Commission under the pretext of "materials for the Kim Seung-won hearing," and that the commission had handed it over. Han asked, "What connection is there between the 'Kim Seung-won hearing' and 'nominee Han Dong-hoon's supporters' association accounting report' that Rep. Son demands it and the election commission provides it?" and added, "Is the election commission retaliating against me for proposing the three election commission reform bills?"

Criticism also came from within the People Power Party. Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun wrote on Facebook, "The Democratic Party and the broader progressive bloc's 'attack on Han Dong-hoon' has targeted the wrong address," pointing out that "tomorrow is not a 'Han Dong-hoon hearing' but the confirmation hearing for nominee Kim." He added, "If they're that curious about Rep. Han, they should simply adopt him as a hearing witness," and asked, "If they attack him from outside but refuse to put him on the witness stand to examine the facts, who would find that convincing?"

Rep. Park Jeong-ha also noted, "Why on earth is Rep. Han's accounting report needed? Is Rep. Han the Justice Minister nominee?" and asked, "After the Prime Minister's Office, has the National Election Commission now joined the ranks of those scrutinizing Rep. Han?"

Rep. Han announced that, in his capacity as a National Assembly member, he would request the supporters' association accounting reports of Democratic Party lawmakers including Seo Young-kyo as well as Rep. Son from the National Election Commission, stressing that he would watch along with the public whether the commission hands those over as readily as it did his. Han also countered that the Democratic Party had refused to adopt witnesses at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee despite requests, arguing that the facts should be examined at the hearing's witness stand.

With nominee Kim's confirmation hearing approaching, the interparty standoff over the adoption of witnesses and submission of documents is expected to move into the hearing room.