People Power Party Slams Minister Nominees Yong Hyein and Kim Seungwon: "Appointments Defying Public Sentiment"

Intense Criticism over Yong Hyein’s Retention of her Parliamentary Seat and Spouse’s Party Position
Kim Seungwon Targeted for Efforts to Drop Charges
“Cabinet Reshuffle Defies Public Sentiment”
People Power Party Leadership and Senior Members Ramp Up Attacks Ahead of Confirmation Hearings

The People Power Party has intensified its offensive against President Lee Jaemyung’s cabinet reshuffle, specifically targeting Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee Yong Hyein and Minister of Justice nominee Kim Seungwon. The party’s criticism toward Yong focuses on her decision to retain her proportional representative seat and issues related to her spouse’s party position, while questions directed at Kim center on his record of attempting to drop charges in the President Lee case.

Yonhap News Agency

On the 31st, the People Power Party criticized Yong for being nominated as a ministerial candidate while not expressing her intention to resign from her parliamentary seat after having been elected as a proportional representative twice through a satellite party.

Assemblyman Yoon Sanghyun, through social media, claimed that Yong entered the National Assembly via a proportional alliance party affiliated with the Democratic Party, describing this as “an unfair benefit resulting from collusion by vested interests.” He especially pointed out that such a method could cause a sense of deprivation among young people who are sensitive to issues of fairness.

Assemblyman Ahn Cheolsoo raised the fact that Yong’s spouse holds a party position in the Basic Income Party. He questioned whether, if Yong were to resign her seat, the Basic Income Party would become an extraparliamentary party, potentially impacting party operations and her spouse’s salary. He criticized, “Isn’t this the Family Income Party, not the Basic Income Party?”

Assemblyman Kwak Kyutaek also argued that if Yong intends to retain her seat under the pretext of the party’s direction, it would be appropriate for her to withdraw from her ministerial candidacy instead. Assemblyman Joo Jinwoo pointed out that if Yong retains her parliamentary seat even after being appointed as a minister, her aides and the party’s state subsidies would continue, raising concerns about preferential treatment.

The People Power Party further took issue with Yong’s ongoing advocacy for abolishing the prosecution’s supplementary investigation authority. Chief Spokesperson Park Sunghoon argued in a statement that abolishing this function could disadvantage crime victims such as women and low-income individuals, and therefore Yong was not suitable as a nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family.

As for Kim Seungwon, nominee for Minister of Justice, the party highlighted his efforts to drop the prosecution of cases involving President Lee as a major concern.

At the Supreme Council meeting, Floor Leader Jeong Jeomsik described Kim as the “vanguard” of attempts to withdraw the prosecution in cases related to President Lee and argued that nominating him contradicts calls for government reform.

The People Power Party leadership also used phrases such as “a crime-planning cabinet reshuffle” and “the president’s personal lawyer” to criticize Kim’s nomination.

Supreme Council member Shin Dongwook stated that the role of the Minister of Justice is to be responsible for the rule of law and judicial order, and argued that nominating Kim was an attempt to use the Ministry of Justice for the president’s personal legal matters.

Assemblywoman Na Kyungwon commented on the party’s concentrated attacks on Yong, saying, “Yong Hyein is just the bait—the essence of the issue is really Kim Seungwon, the nominee for Minister of Justice.” She argued that, since Kim previously served as co-head of the “parliamentary group for dropping the prosecution in President Lee’s case and pursuing a parliamentary investigation,” the core of this nomination was to resolve the president’s legal risks.

Spokesperson Ham Inkyung also criticized Kim’s record regarding dropping charges, calling this cabinet reshuffle “a defiant personnel appointment ignoring public sentiment.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.