A confirmation hearing for four ministerial candidates to form the first cabinet of the Lee Jae-myung administration was held on the 14th across various committees, where disruptions occurred from the first day. There were several suspensions of the meeting amid shouting and placard protests, leading to the opposition's walkout. The ruling party, Democratic Party of Korea, labeled the opposition's 'placard protests' and quality attacks as 'political attacks' and began to defend, while the main opposition party, People Power Party, intensified criticism regarding the candidates' qualifications, morality, and policy capabilities. The candidates for the confirmation hearing that day included Kang Seon-woo for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Bae Gyeong-hun for the Ministry of Science and ICT, Jeong Dong-young for the Ministry of Unification, and Jeon Jae-soo for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Minister Kang Seon-woo, a candidate for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, attends the personnel hearing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 14th, and answers the questions from the members. /News1

The confirmation hearing for candidate Kang Seon-woo held by the Gender Equality and Family Committee of the National Assembly was suspended just 13 minutes after it began, amidst high tensions. Members of the People Power Party participated in the meeting with a placard saying 'Out with abuse king Kang Seon-woo' attached to their laptops, prompting strong backlash from Democratic Party members, resulting in chaos in the meeting room. The meeting resumed after a 1-hour and 20-minute break, during which the candidate expressed, 'I sincerely apologize for the controversies I caused.'

The People Power Party urged Kang to voluntarily resign, citing controversies over her past treatment of aides and moral integrity. In particular, it was alleged that she directed aides to repair home toilets and handle garbage. Kang addressed this by saying, 'Media reports have somewhat exaggerated aspects of this,' explaining that she sought advice and made requests to local aides in her office about how to handle the situation. She added, 'It didn’t occur to me that it could appear as an unreasonable work instruction,' bowing her head in apology.

Kang denied reports that she warned legal actions against two aides who leaked the allegations, stating, 'That is not an official stance or explanatory document, and there has been no legal action taken.' However, she reiterated, 'I sincerely apologize to the aides who may have been hurt amid the controversy.'

On the 14th, People Power Party's Floor Leader Choi Hyung-doo and Congressman Shin Seong-beom are reattaching the placards after the recess of the personnel hearing for candidate Bae Gyeong-hun at the Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. /News1

The confirmation hearing for candidate Bae Gyeong-hun held by the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee was marred by suspensions due to placard protests from People Power Party members. The slogans 'Out with Choi Min-hee dictatorship' and 'Lee Jae-myung should cooperate' were prominently displayed, leading to fierce confrontations between the ruling and opposition parties, prompting the committee chair, Choi Min-hee, to invoke the authority to maintain order under the National Assembly Act, which led to the dispatch of security personnel.

The confirmation hearing, originally scheduled to start at 10 a.m., barely resumed after 1 p.m. following the walkout of People Power Party members. Candidate Bae stated, 'Innovative science and technology and AI provide new momentum for our economy and industry, creating reason and efficiency based on safety and trust across the nation.' He added, 'If I become the minister, I will accelerate innovation by combining infrastructure, data, and talent for the AX transformation based on this understanding of issues.'

Candidate Bae, an AI expert and former vice president of Samsung Electronics, is known to have had ties with President Lee Jae-myung since the latter's time as mayor of Seongnam. The opposition criticized this as a 'favoritism appointment,' citing a lack of policy expertise and experience in managing the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Minister Jeong Dong-young, a candidate for the Ministry of Unification, listens attentively to the inquiry from Congressman Kim Ki-hyun of the People Power Party during the personnel hearing held by the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the National Assembly on the 14th. /Yonhap News

During the confirmation hearing for candidate Jeong Dong-young, allegations of conflict of interest related to family investments in solar power plants and issues of disguised immigration were key points of contention. The People Power Party pointed out that Jeong's spouse and children own multiple solar companies, asserting that his joint sponsorship of related legislation represents a clear conflict of interest.

In response, candidate Jeong stated, 'The Agricultural Solar Support Act that was jointly sponsored is meant to increase farming income to prevent rural depopulation,' and added, 'The characteristics of agricultural solar power and the solar power owned by my wife are entirely different.' He went on, 'After I lost the election five years ago and returned to my hometown, I had no income source other than the national pension, leading me to invest in solar power for stable living expenses.'

Regarding the accusation of disguised immigration, he acknowledged, 'Yes, it was my oversight,' but explained, 'It is possible to acquire agricultural land even while living in Jeonju.' He added that the land not reported in his assets was not registered yet, which led to the omission of reporting. The Democratic Party defended his position, stating the opposition is overly focused on personal-life investigations, while the People Power Party pointed out inadequacies in submitting documents.

There were exchanges regarding policy directions as well. During the hearing, candidate Jeong mentioned the need to review changing the name of the Ministry of Unification, suggesting, 'The unification ministry name change is necessary,' adding that 'the Ministry of Korea could be one of the alternatives.' He explained, 'Some experts claim that changing the unification ministry's name violates Article 4 of the Constitution and amounts to 'giving up unification,' but the facts differ, and the government organization act can be amended as needed according to the changes of era.'

Candidate Jeon Jae-soo for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries answers questions from members at the personnel hearing for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries held at the Agriculture. Food. Rural Affairs. Oceans. and Fisheries Committee of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 14th in the morning. /News1

During the confirmation hearing for Jeon Jae-soo, the ministerial candidate for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, there was a dispute between the parties regarding the candidate's expertise in the marine sector. The Democratic Party praised him for having sponsored five marine-related bills and for communicating with local sentiments during his activities, asserting, 'There is no fault in his expertise.'

In contrast, the People Power Party noted that Jeon has no experience in the Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs Committee, and pointed out that most of his legislative activities have been in the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee, sarcastically questioning, 'If you’re to be the Minister of Culture, why are you trying to be the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries?' They also raised suspicions that the candidate was considering candidacy for mayor of Busan, referencing the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' relocation plans.

In response, candidate Jeon emphasized, 'In the context of intense international competition surrounding the Arctic route, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries needs to be located in Busan to respond appropriately,' asserting that the transfer of the ministry is a policy decision. When asked if he was declaring he wouldn't run for mayor in next year’s local elections, he replied, 'I can’t conclusively say anything about the affairs of the world right now. There’s a mountain of work to do if I become the minister.'

Since the first day of the confirmation hearings was marred by shouting, walkouts, placards, and suspensions, concerns have been raised that the verification of the Lee Jae-myung administration's cabinet has degenerated into political conflicts. The People Power Party has pressured some candidates to voluntarily resign while the Democratic Party contends that this is an 'attempt to frame' and a 'political attack' from the opposition.

Meanwhile, a confirmation hearing is scheduled for five candidates, including Kwon Oh-eul for the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Han Seong-suk for the Minister of SMEs and Startups, on the 15th. From the 16th to the 18th, verification of candidates from major ministries, including education, employment, diplomacy, and welfare, will follow.

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