[The Editors' Verdict] Waiting for a National Assembly That Earns Its Keep

"The minister needs to come for anything to happen, but we haven't even been able to start the policies the new government is pushing."

A senior official at the Ministry of Health and Welfare could not hide his frustration as the confirmation hearing for Kim Seung-hee, the nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, has not been held. Kim, along with Park Soon-ae, the nominee for Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is still waiting for their confirmation hearings. According to the Confirmation Hearing Act, the National Assembly must complete the review or confirmation hearing within 20 days from the date the appointment consent proposal is submitted. The hearing deadline ended on the 20th. The president can request a resubmission of the hearing.

President Yoon Seok-ryeol said on the 21st regarding the request for resubmission of the confirmation hearing report for these nominees, "We decided to request resubmission before going to NATO and give ample time." By requesting the resubmission just before departing for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit next week, President Yoon appears to be showing his intention to give the National Assembly as much time as possible to hold the confirmation hearings. It also reflects the judgment that forcibly appointing the two nominees without hearings could give the opposition party an excuse.

It has already been 43 days since the Yoon Seok-ryeol administration took office on the 10th of last month, but the leadership positions at the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare remain vacant. Even if the National Assembly agrees on the organization now and prepares for the confirmation hearings, it will take considerable time for the two ministers to assume office. If the National Assembly continues its conflicts over the organization, the confirmation hearings will be impossible, and President Yoon is expected to proceed with appointments without hearings. Regardless of the process, there will effectively be a nearly two-month vacancy in the ministerial positions.

The Minister of Education is in a situation where they must work tirelessly to carry out national tasks such as nurturing digital talent. With semiconductor specialist training becoming a major national task, urgent matters such as cooperation with other ministries and adjusting university quotas are numerous. The Minister of Health and Welfare must play a leading role in pension reform and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The long-term absence of these two ministers cannot be compensated for by vice ministers.

It is also problematic that the National Assembly is not properly conducting the confirmation hearing procedures as stipulated by law. Members of the National Assembly have always made excuses whenever they fail to fulfill their duties. Yet, they continue to receive their legislative allowances without fail. Moreover, the current situation is one where the major opposition party holds the power. Although the people chose a regime change through the presidential and local elections, the opposition party remains absorbed in internal power struggles even after consecutive election defeats. They are only greedy to hold onto the position of the chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. It is openly apparent that they intend to obstruct the new government’s progress through legislative power.

The public wants the National Assembly to properly scrutinize whether the ministerial nominees are suitable for carrying out state affairs. The various allegations raised by the media and opposition party need to be verified in the confirmation hearings. Currently, the ruling party has neither the justification nor the power to block the hearings. The blame for not holding the hearings as soon as possible lies with the opposition party. Even if President Yoon proceeds with appointments while waiting for the hearings, there will be no grounds for criticism.

A National Assembly that earns its keep. This is the kind of National Assembly we want to see.

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