Blue House Draws Line on Withdrawing Kim Seungwon, Yong Hyein Nominations: "Must Undergo Confirmation Hearings"

"Nominees Selected Through Personnel System," Emphasis on Public Scrutiny

Ruling Bloc Actively Defends Kim Seungwon, But Questions Raised Over Yong Hyein’s Status... Ongoing Personnel Burden

The presidential office has stated that it will wait for the National Assembly confirmation hearings before taking any action regarding Kim Seungwon, the nominee for Minister of Justice, and Yong Hyein, the nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, both of whom are embroiled in various allegations and controversies. Although some within the ruling bloc are increasingly calling for certain nominees to step down, the administration is interpreted as intending to allow the public to scrutinize the nominees through the confirmation hearings first rather than immediately withdrawing their nominations.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are seen disembarking from Air Force One at Orly Airport in Paris, France, on the 7th (local time) and moving to the official vehicle. 2026.9.8 Yonhap News Agency.

Speaking to reporters in Paris on the 7th (local time), during President Lee Jaemyung's state visit to France, a presidential office official said, regarding the future of the two nominees, "The confirmation hearing system itself serves as a process for public scrutiny of the nominees. Given that the nominees were named through the personnel system under the responsibility of the personnel committee chairperson, they should undergo confirmation hearings."

Recently, controversy has been spreading over the two nominees not only among opposition parties but also within the ruling bloc. However, the presidential office has effectively ruled out the possibility of an early withdrawal. Kim's confirmation hearing is scheduled for the 15th, and the People Power Party is demanding that Yong's hearing be held on the 22nd, right before the Chuseok holiday.

The official also stated, "We will establish and strengthen a personnel vetting system to ensure that it fully meets public expectations," in reference to the vetting process. This is interpreted as an intention to supplement the pre-appointment vetting system, triggered by the recent string of controversies, and regardless of the plan to send the nominees to confirmation hearings.

Kim has been accused of passing along a request to the Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety at a friend's behest concerning the approval of COVID-19 new drug clinical trials. Kim denies the allegations, stating, "I have never made any improper requests to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and such requests did not affect the fairness of the Ministry's review process." The Democratic Party has formed a separate response team including its top officials to support Kim's nomination.

The dynamics surrounding Yong are markedly different within the ruling bloc. Yong has maintained her stance to retain her proportional representative seat from the Basic Income Party even if appointed as minister, fueling ongoing debate over the dual-role issue of serving as both a minister and a member of the National Assembly. There has also been controversy about the so-called "privatization of the party" regarding party operations. Some within the Democratic Party argue that beyond resigning from her seat, Yong’s ministerial nomination itself should be reconsidered.

Indeed, while the Democratic Party is actively defending Kim, defining the allegations against him as "public interest complaints," it has refrained from publicly supporting Yong, demonstrating a clear difference in approach. Some in the ruling bloc are concerned that if these controversies persist, they could eventually become a burden on President Lee's administration.

Meanwhile, regarding reports that the Democratic Party leadership conveyed a negative opinion on Yong’s nomination, the presidential office stated, "Nothing in particular has been confirmed."

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