Start of Confirmation Hearing Political Battle... United Party's Full-Scale Offensive on 'Park Won-soon Incident'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The National Assembly has entered the personnel hearing season starting this week. On the 20th, the ruling and opposition parties began personnel hearings for the candidates for Commissioner of the National Police Agency and Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, followed by hearings for the Minister of Unification and the Director of the National Intelligence Service. The United Future Party launched a full-scale offensive on the sexual harassment allegations against the late Park Won-soon, former Mayor of Seoul, during the first day of the police chief candidate hearing.

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, said at the party’s emergency meeting held at the National Assembly that day, "Regarding the sexual harassment issue involving former Mayor Park, it seems that a clear investigation policy has not yet been decided," adding, "No one trusts the Seoul city government's own investigation. Public authority must naturally intervene and conduct a thorough investigation."

Members of the United Future Party in the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee intensely probed the process of reporting the fact that former Mayor Park was accused to the Blue House and the circumstances under which investigation details were leaked to Seoul city. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party actively defended against the United Future Party’s offensive. The Blue House acknowledged that it was informed of the accusation against former Mayor Park but stated that it did not inform Seoul city. Earlier, on the 14th, United Future Party lawmakers requested the ruling party to additionally summon 11 witnesses from the police and Seoul city officials for the hearing of candidate Kim, but the request was ultimately rejected.

The National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information and Communications Committee also held a personnel hearing for candidate Han Sang-hyuk for Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission that day. Candidate Han took over the remaining term after former Chairman Lee Hyo-sung resigned in September last year, and if he passes this hearing, he will begin a new three-year term.

The next personnel hearing will be for candidate Lee In-young for Minister of Unification. The National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee will hold Lee’s hearing on the 23rd. The opposition party is raising issues regarding the appropriateness of Lee’s son’s military exemption, whether there was any parental advantage in securing funds and the selection process for studying abroad in Switzerland. North Korea-related policy issues, such as the Korea-U.S. Working Group, which North Korea has identified as an obstacle to inter-Korean relations, and the demolition of the inter-Korean joint liaison office by North Korea, are also expected to be major points of contention on the day of the hearing.

The personnel hearing for candidate Park Ji-won for Director of the National Intelligence Service will be held on the 27th. Park’s stance on North Korea, his privileged military service, and the process of asset formation are expected to be key issues. Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, criticized after attending the 55th anniversary memorial service for former President Rhee Syngman, saying to reporters, "The National Intelligence Service is an intelligence agency that protects the Republic of Korea on the front lines, so appointing someone who colludes with the enemy is fundamentally wrong," and added, "I cannot understand what the president was thinking when appointing candidate Park as the Director of the National Intelligence Service."

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