Kim Sung-joo: "Kyungpook National University staff said, 'Do not provide hearing materials'..." Jeong Ho-young: "There was no pressure"

Claim by Rep. Kim Sung-ju's Office... Jeong "That Never Happened"

Health and Welfare Minister nominee Jeong Ho-young is arriving at the office prepared for the National Assembly confirmation hearing at the Seoul Northern Regional Headquarters of the National Pension Service in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 28th of last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] Amid claims raised in political circles on the 1st that Jeong Ho-young, the nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, requested Kyungpook National University not to submit related materials to the National Assembly ahead of the confirmation hearing, Jeong’s side categorically denied the allegations, stating, "We have never exerted any undue pressure."

According to the office of Kim Sung-joo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, during the preparation for the confirmation hearing questions on the 22nd of last month, staff members received a tip from Kyungpook National University employees that "the nominee asked not to provide the materials." Jeong previously served as the director of Kyungpook National University Hospital and a professor at Kyungpook National University College of Medicine.

A representative from Kim’s office explained, "When we urged the Kyungpook National University staff, who were refusing to submit materials citing personal information reasons, to comply based on the Confirmation Hearing Act and related laws, the staff made that statement."

In response to inquiries from Kim’s side about the veracity of this statement, Jeong said, "I have never exerted any undue pressure on Kyungpook National University regarding the submission of materials," adding, "The confirmation hearing preparation team, including myself, has faithfully submitted materials and sought to clearly explain the raised suspicions."

The Democratic Party has been urging the submission of materials related to allegations concerning Jeong’s daughter and son’s transfer to Kyungpook National University College of Medicine and the son’s change in military service evaluation.

In particular, regarding the medical school transfer allegations, they have been continuously verifying whether the children took the MEET (Medical Education Eligibility Test), but Jeong has not complied with the request for materials, citing privacy protection and other reasons.

In written answers submitted to the National Assembly, Jeong stated, "I believe that the admission status to other university medical schools is not directly related to the issues raised concerning Kyungpook National University College of Medicine," and added, "Since this information is closely related to my children’s privacy, they did not wish to disclose it, and as a father, I ask you to consider that I cannot force them to do so."

According to Kim’s office, it was also revealed that Jeong did not report the transfer of his daughter and son to the Kyungpook National University president and dean of the medical school in 2017 and 2018, respectively, as a private interest.

Kim’s office pointed out that this violates the Kyungpook National University Code of Conduct for Faculty and Staff, which requires reporting private interests when relatives within the fourth degree of kinship are involved in related duties.

In response, Jeong explained, "The term ‘related person’ at that time refers to those connected to the staff member’s area of responsibility," and added, "I was not involved in any duties related to my children’s transfer process."

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