The ruling and opposition parties could not reach an agreement on the selection of witnesses and informants to attend the confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok on the 20th. The confirmation hearing for Kim, scheduled for the 24th and 25th, is likely to proceed without witnesses and informants.
Commissioners of the National Assembly's Confirmation Hearing Special Committee, affiliated with the People Power Party, said on that day, "Due to the Democratic Party's one-sided assertions and pressures, we ultimately could not reach witness selection today," adding, "We are very regretful."
The People Power Party noted, "Initially, we suggested to the Democratic Party, 'Let's adopt all witnesses and informants proposed by both parties,' but the Democratic Party refused, saying, 'We cannot accept this.' We requested only the minimum necessary witnesses, excluding family members and the former spouse from the list, but the Democratic Party rejected even this request."
Kim Hyun, the Democratic Party's secretary of the Confirmation Hearing Special Committee, indicated in a statement that the People Power Party shifted the blame onto others. Kim said, "The People Power Party demanded four new witnesses, excluding one of the five witnesses and informants discussed until the 18th, which caused a deadlock," adding, "People Power Party Chairperson Lee Jong-bae had agreed to meet again at 5 p.m. to discuss, but the People Power Party did not participate in the discussions, preventing us from reaching a final agreement on witnesses and informants."