[Confirmation Hearing Super Week]② 'Lobbying' Kim Seungwon, 'Special Allocation' Kang Shinchul, 'All-in Purchase' Hong Jisun... Flashpoints Everywhere

Controversy Over Kim Seungwon's Alleged Lobbying of the MFDS
Debate Over Kang Shinchul's False Address Registration and Son's Real Estate Speculation
Hong Jisun's Apartment Purchase Funds Under Scrutiny
Zero Witnesses Accepted From Opposition – Concerns of Hollow Hearings

Editor's NoteFollowing the announcement of President Lee Jaemyung's second Cabinet reshuffle, political tensions are running high as a series of National Assembly confirmation hearings are held this week. Starting with a Supreme Court Justice nominee on September 14, a total of seven hearings for ministerial nominees from government ministries such as the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of National Defense, as well as for the Special Inspector nominee, will take place through September 18. This series will examine the key issues, strategies of the ruling and opposition parties, and the future direction of the political landscape in three parts.

With the start of a full-fledged season of confirmation hearings, both the ruling and opposition parties are expected to clash over suspicions and controversies surrounding each nominee.

On September 15, the National Assembly will hold confirmation hearings for Lee Hyungil, nominee for Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Economy and Finance; Kim Seungwon, nominee for Minister of Justice; and Lee Soyoung, nominee for Minister of SMEs and Startups. On the following day, September 16, hearings are scheduled for Hong Jisun, nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Kang Shinchul, nominee for Minister of National Defense.

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Hwayoung Lim answered questions from the press while arriving at the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at Jeokseon Hyundai Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on September 11, 2026. Photo by Hwayoung Lim (End)

◆ Kim Seungwon and the 'MFDS Lobbying Allegation'—Key Turning Point= The opposition parties are raising allegations that in October 2021, nominee Kim was asked by broker Yang and called then-Commissioner Kim Gangrip of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) to request oversight of the clinical trial procedures for Genencell. In addition, they allege that in 2023, Kim gave preferential treatment by hiring the son of the judge who dismissed an arrest warrant for Genencell founder Kang as a legislative assistant in his office.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea is making every effort to defend nominee Kim, arguing the case ended in a non-prosecution by prosecutors and that the investigation itself was targeted and politically motivated.

Especially after Yong Hyein, nominee for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, voluntarily withdrew, there is a strong sentiment within the party to defend at least nominee Kim. On this day, Democratic Party chair Kim Minseok directly criticized independent lawmaker Han Donghoon, who has been continuously releasing information related to nominee Kim, saying, "The 'Han Donghoon document leak gate' will be treated strictly as a public matter," and "I thought he was different from Yoon Sukyeol, but it turns out he's just a half-brother from the same bloodline." However, some Democratic Party lawmakers point out that if controversy continues after the hearing, there must be consideration of the possibility that nominee Kim may have to step down.

◆ Real Estate Controversies Surrounding Lee Hyungil, Kang Shinchul, Lee Soyoung, and Hong Jisun= Other nominees must also clarify a series of suspicions during the hearings. Nominee Kang is suspected of gaining tenant eligibility for special allocation of an apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul, via a fraudulent address transfer, and faces allegations of speculation related to his son’s purchase of a commercial unit in Bundang. Nominee Hong is alleged to have made an “all-in” purchase by borrowing more than half of the funds for an apartment from a bank and her mother-in-law. Nominees Lee Hyungil and Lee Soyoung have been involved in controversies regarding “non-resident single home ownership.” Choi Gilsoo, the Special Inspector nominee scheduled for a hearing on September 18, also needs to clarify allegations related to real estate such as fraudulent address transfer.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice nominee Kim Sungsoo apologized at a hearing held the previous day for suspicions of evading gift tax on an apartment transfer to his brother-in-law. The National Assembly Special Committee on Confirmation Hearings is scheduled to convene a plenary session on September 16 to discuss whether to adopt the report on the nominee's confirmation.

◆ Concerns Over ‘No Witness’ Hollow Hearings= Despite plans for rigorous vetting of the ministerial nominees, not a single witness requested by the opposition has been accepted, and the hearings are scheduled to wrap up in just one day, drawing concerns that they will be hollow in substance. The adoption of witnesses or reference persons at confirmation hearings is not a mandatory requirement. However, ahead of nominee Kim’s hearing, the People Power Party requested 44 witnesses and 4 reference persons, none of whom were accepted by the Democratic Party.

Regarding the failure to secure witnesses, Kim Donga, a Democratic Party lawmaker on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, stated, “We regret and apologize for the fact that no witnesses could be adopted. However, because confirmation committee members do not have investigative or prosecutorial authority, even if witnesses are called, it would merely politicize the issue, and the credibility of their statements would be questionable.” He further added, “Most of the witnesses requested by the People Power Party, such as Mr. Kang and Mr. Yang, are currently on trial, making it virtually impossible to hear proper testimony from them.”

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