Is Kim Seungwon's Appointment Being Pushed Forward?... Ruling Party Says "Sufficient Explanation," Opposition Calls It a "Shielded Hearing"

Confirmation Hearing for Justice Minister Nominee Draws Split Evaluations Across Party Lines

Ruling Party: "No New Facts... Positive Stories About Candidate's Family"

Opposition: "Shielding and Deceiving the Public," Opposes Report Adoption

The confirmation hearing for Kim Seungwon, the nominee for Minister of Justice, concluded after 14 hours, but the gap between the ruling and opposition parties over his suitability remains unresolved. The Democratic Party of Korea asserts that Kim adequately addressed the allegations raised during the hearing, while the People Power Party maintains that key suspicions remain unresolved and refuses to adopt the confirmation hearing report.

On September 16, both parties delivered sharply contrasting assessments regarding the results of the previous day's hearing. The Democratic Party believes that, since no decisive new allegations that would seriously undermine Kim's qualifications emerged during the proceedings, there is no issue with his appointment as minister.

Kim Seungwon, nominee for Minister of Justice, is attending the "Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Ministry of Justice Minister Confirmation Hearing" held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 15th, receiving questions from lawmakers. 2026.9.15. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

Kim Uigyum, the Democratic Party's coordinator on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, said, "It seems there are no new facts," expressing support for Kim's eligibility. Another Democratic Party committee member commented, "The hearing only exposed groundless speculation by the People Power Party," and added, "Issues like the cooperative case actually showcased positive stories about the candidate's family."

In contrast, the People Power Party argues that suspicions regarding the solicitation of approval for a new drug clinical trial and alleged preferential treatment for a family-affiliated cooperative remain unaddressed, and therefore they will not agree to adopt the report. Floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik held a press conference that day and said, "They rejected witness adoption and submitted only 35 percent of the requested documents," adding, "This hearing was a shield for Kim Seungwon and a deception of the public."

With the ruling and opposition parties at a stalemate, the adoption of the hearing report has become uncertain. A Legislation and Judiciary Committee member from the People Power Party stated, "At this point, it seems difficult for both parties to reach an agreement," and added, "Even if a general meeting is held, it's highly likely it will end without adoption, with both sides only confirming their respective positions."

Kim's confirmation hearing report is also not scheduled to be discussed at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's general meeting planned for this afternoon. A Democratic Party committee staff member explained, "Today's general meeting will only address follow-up legislation on prosecutorial reform," and added, "The confirmation report is still under discussion."

During the previous day's hearing, Kim explained that in relation to the allegations of soliciting approval for a new drug clinical trial, he had merely submitted a public petition requesting Kim Kanglip, then-head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, to check for any procedural delays. He also denied allegations that a social cooperative involving his family received preferential treatment.

The opposition pointed out that since no relevant witnesses or reference persons were adopted, the hearing was limited in its ability to objectively verify the candidate's explanations. The People Power Party plans to continue its campaign outside the assembly, holding a "National Report Meeting" at the National Assembly on September 22 to highlight the failures of the Lee Jaemyung administration.

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