Opposition to Kim Seung-won's nomination as justice minister is double the support

A survey released on the 16th showed that 52.1% of respondents oppose the appointment of Kim Seung-won as justice minister, while 25.1% support it — opposition exceeding support by more than double. The survey was conducted by Hankook Research's Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) from the 14th to the 15th, targeting 1,001 people aged 18 or older nationwide via wireless telephone automated response (ARS). The response rate was 5.9%, with a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points.

The results showed a 27-percentage-point gap between opposition (52.1%) and support (25.1%) for Kim's appointment, with 22.8% answering "don't know." In the same survey, opposition also led at 38.8% versus 21.4% in favor regarding the appointment of Kim Ji-yong as the first head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. However, "don't know" responses accounted for the largest share at 39.8%.

Civic groups are also voicing their demands. In a statement the previous day, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy pointed out that while Kim's disqualifications are clear, he has failed to demonstrate sufficient reasons why he should be appointed, declaring him unfit for the post. The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice also issued a statement urging Kim to voluntarily step down, saying he must respond to the allegations with accountability.