As the Party Leadership and Lee Jae-myung Push Ahead, the Opposition Turns to Street Protests
As the Democratic Party of Korea appears set to push through the adoption of the confirmation hearing report (the National Assembly's process of vetting a minister nominee's qualifications and potential problems) on Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won on the 17th, despite unresolved allegations against him, the People Power Party is fighting back with plans for street protests (rallies and other demonstrations held outside the National Assembly).
At the confirmation hearing held for roughly 14 hours at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 15th, the People Power Party's requests for 44 witnesses and 4 reference witnesses were not adopted. With the hearing conducted without witnesses, suspicions surrounding the nominee — including allegations that he lobbied for expedited approval of Genesell's COVID-19 treatment clinical trial — remain unresolved.
"We will hold a 'National Report on the Misdeeds of the Lee Jae-myung Administration' in front of the main National Assembly building on the 22nd," said Park Chung-kwon, chief spokesperson of the People Power Party, at the Assembly. "If public discontent deepens over the Chuseok holiday, the party leadership is preparing in advance to enable street protests." Floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik urged President Lee Jae-myung to withdraw the nomination at a press briefing, calling Kim "the worst Justice Minister nominee in history." Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, who led the allegations raised during the hearing, said on SBS Radio: "I am certain that if he is appointed, he will not serve out his term. If he is appointed, we must take to the streets. Many people will come out into the streets."
In a survey of 1,001 adults conducted by telephone automated response on the 14th–15th by Hankook Society Opinion Research Institute, 52.1% opposed the appointment of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won — more than double the 25.1% who supported it. Among independents who support no party, 54.2% opposed and 9.5% supported the appointment.
The People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy commented that "while the grounds for disqualification of nominee Kim are clear, he has failed to demonstrate sufficient reasons why he should be appointed, making him unfit for the post," and criticized the drug-lobbying allegations, saying "they are strongly suspected of constituting improper solicitation." Voices of concern have also emerged within the Democratic Party.
