The People Power Party's nominee for Prime Minister, Kim Min-seok, was newly questioned by the Special Committee on Personnel Hearing on the process of his ex-wife's appointment as a non-standing director of the Jeju International Free City Development Center (JDC) under the Ministry of Land in 2020, as well as the fact that their eldest son transferred to a middle school in Jeju for an irregular admission to Cheongshim International High School at the same time.
Kim's ex-wife applied for the non-standing director position at JDC in September 2020 and was selected as one of the final three out of 11 applicants. The then chairman of JDC had a background in the presidential office, and the Special Committee on Personnel Hearing claims that Kim was in a position of power within the ruling party and the National Assembly at that time.
Their eldest son moved his address from Seoul to Seogwipo, Jeju, in April 2020 to attend the third year of middle school before entering Cheongshim International High School in Gyeonggi Province in 2021. Since Cheongshim International High School only accepts students from regions where international high schools are not established, suspicions have arisen that the transfer was a 'pre-arranged scheme' to meet the admission requirements.
The People Power Party's Special Committee on Personnel Hearing stated, 'It needs to be clearly revealed whether Kim and his ex-wife discussed matters regarding their children's education or Kim's appointment to JDC' and urged clarification on the circumstances of the ex-wife's application to JDC and the processes of their eldest son's transfer and admission.
Kim's side has stated that 'they will answer all questions at the hearing.' The Democratic Party of Korea has responded that 'calling family members as witnesses at the hearing is excessive.' The personnel hearing is scheduled to be held over two days, from the 24th to the 25th.