Confirmation Hearing Report on Defense Minister Nominee Kang Sinchul Adopted Under Ruling Party Leadership

The confirmation hearing report on Kang Sinchul, nominee for Minister of National Defense, was adopted under the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea.

Kang Sinchul, nominee for Minister of National Defense, is responding to questions from lawmakers at the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on September 16, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongjoo

On the afternoon of September 17, the National Assembly Defense Committee convened a plenary session, during which the motion to adopt the confirmation hearing report for Kang was submitted and passed, led by the ruling party. Defense Committee members from the opposition People Power Party, as well as Assemblyman Chun Haram from the Reform New Party, who have raised suspicions regarding Kang’s “special housing supply for displaced persons,” did not attend.

At the hearing held the previous day, Kang responded to allegations raised by the opposition regarding the special housing supply issue and a controversy over his eldest son’s purchase of a commercial property by stating, “I apologize for falling short of public expectations.” He also explained, “The special housing supply for displaced persons was appropriate compensation, and as for the controversy surrounding my son, I was unable to examine the details closely due to being in a state of war.”

Jin Sungjoon, chair of the Defense Committee, commented on the report’s content, stating, “Based on Kang’s service in key military positions and his experience as a field commander, he presented directions for defense policy, including the establishment of a robust military posture against North Korea, the transition of wartime operational control, strengthening of the South Korea-US alliance, and the professionalization of the military.” He added, “He possesses the qualities and capabilities necessary to carry out his duties as Minister.”

In contrast, the opposition preemptively decided to reject the adoption of the report. Kang Sunyoung, the People Power Party's chief member on the Defense Committee, said, “The nominee ultimately concealed key documents for verification, including suspicions surrounding disciplinary lapses during personnel management and his children’s military service.” She continued, “Regarding critical issues such as the integration of military academies, he only demonstrated indecisiveness and incompetence.”

In response, the ruling party specified in the report, “There were also criticisms that explanations regarding special housing supply for displaced persons and the omission of his children’s commercial property from asset reports were inadequate.” The report further noted, “There was a majority opinion stressing that, for major pending issues such as troop deployment to the Hormuz Strait and military academy integration, it is necessary to prioritize the national interest and the strengthening of military capabilities.”

Meanwhile, the confirmation report, adopted under the leadership of the ruling party, is scheduled to be reported to the plenary session of the National Assembly before being sent to the President. The President will refer to the contents of the report in deciding whether to appoint Kang as Minister.

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