"Typical Double Standards," "Subpar"…Democratic Party Launches Full-Scale Offensive on Yoon Cabinet

"Fairness and Justice Missing... Withdraw the Appointment and Apologize to the People"
People Power Party: "Refrain from Irresponsible Stigmatizing Political Agitation"
Jung Ho-young: "Allegations Are Not True, No Unfair Acts Occurred"

Health and Welfare Minister nominee Jeong Ho-young is explaining the recent allegations related to his children at a press conference held on the 17th at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] The Democratic Party of Korea launched a full-scale offensive, mentioning the voluntary resignation of Jeong Ho-young, the nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, who is under suspicion of irregularities in his children's college admissions.

At the emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 18th, Park Ji-hyun, co-chair of the Democratic Party's emergency committee, directly criticized President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's defense of Jeong, saying, "Did former Minister Cho conduct over 70 search and seizures because there were facts?" and "The fairness and justice that President-elect Yoon keeps shouting whenever he opens his mouth have disappeared," in response to Yoon's statement that "there must be definite facts of wrongdoing."

Park continued, "Isn't it that facts come out only after an investigation? I doubt whether the president-elect, who served as prosecutor general for 27 years, is the right person," and raised suspicion, saying, "Saying there are no facts without investigation sounds like a declaration that (Jeong is Yoon's) friend, so there will be no investigation."

Yoon Ho-jung, co-chair of the emergency committee, also criticized, "When Yoon Seok-yeol was prosecutor general, didn't he conduct simultaneous multiple search and seizures through the current Minister of Justice nominee Han Dong-hoon even before the confirmation hearing of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk was held?" He added, "Where has the cruel and ruthless standard of fairness that even seized the diary of the girl (former Minister Cho's daughter) disappeared?" He also emphasized, "The Democratic Party will thoroughly verify the candidates from the public's perspective, and if any serious issues are found, we will not hesitate to take legal action."

Park Hong-geun, floor leader, claimed, "President-elect Yoon's 'saving friends' is a typical case of double standards," and argued, "At this point, it is only right for President-elect Yoon to promptly withdraw the nominations of candidates who are clearly unqualified and apologize to the public."

Park Ji-hyun, Co-Chair of the Emergency Response Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 18th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In response, the People Power Party is countering the Democratic Party's offensive by emphasizing that "verification should come before criticism." Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, urged at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in the morning, "Democratic Party's slander regarding the new government's cabinet appointments has gone too far," and "While reasonable criticism is welcome, refrain from irresponsible stigmatizing political agitation."

Kwon added, "The purpose of the confirmation hearing is for the National Assembly to verify high-ranking officials on behalf of the people, and as a member of the National Assembly, we must diligently question and scrutinize the candidates' morality, philosophy, and policies," and said, "If serious disqualifications are revealed during the hearing, it will not be too late to point out personnel mistakes then."

Meanwhile, nominee Jeong emphasized that there were no improper suspicions regarding his children's transfer to the medical school at Kyungpook National University. At a press conference held on the afternoon of the 17th at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, he stated, "There were no improper acts using my position regarding my children's matters, nor was it possible."

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