Ruling Party Opposes Appointment of 합찹 Chairman Without Confirmation Hearing

Kim Byung-joo, head of the West Sea Public Officials Death Incident Task Force of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the first TF meeting held at the National Assembly on the 28th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Democratic Party of Korea criticized the government for preparing the inauguration ceremony of Kim Seung-gyeom, the nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the 4th of this month, calling it an act that disregards the people and the National Assembly. This is a backlash against the expectation that President Yoon Seok-yeol would appoint him immediately after returning from the NATO summit, exceeding the deadline for resubmitting the personnel hearing report on the 29th of last month.

On the 1st, Kim Byung-joo, head of the Democratic Party's 'Task Force (TF) on the West Sea Civilian Killing Incident,' visited the Yongsan Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters and, after meeting with Joint Chiefs officials, told reporters, "I heard that the Joint Chiefs are preparing to hold the inauguration ceremony for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs around 1 p.m. next Monday (the 4th)."

Rep. Kim pointed out, "The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is subject to a confirmation hearing, so if (nominee Kim Seung-gyeom) is inaugurated as Chairman on the 4th, it means the hearing is being bypassed."

If nominee Kim Seung-gyeom is inaugurated on the 4th, he will be recorded as the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to take office without a confirmation hearing since the system was introduced in 2006. Earlier, the government appointed Kim Seung-gyeom (59, 42nd class of Korea Military Academy), former Deputy Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, as the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs on May 25, and submitted the candidate's hearing request to the National Assembly on the 30th of the same month.

Currently, the 20th National Assembly's second half standing committee has not been formed, making a confirmation hearing practically difficult.

If nominee Kim is appointed as the 43rd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, it will mark the first time in nine years that a Korea Military Academy graduate holds the position. Additionally, appointing a Korea Military Academy graduate as Chairman after nine years is seen as a return of the 'KMA revival,' emphasizing stability over a 'radical change in seniority' amid North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

It has been nine years since a Korea Military Academy graduate was appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. The last KMA graduate to hold the position was Jeong Seung-jo, the 37th Chairman, during the Lee Myung-bak administration from 2011 to 2013. Subsequently, during the Park Geun-hye administration, the Chairmen were Choi Yoon-hee (Naval Academy 31st class) and Lee Soon-jin (3rd Military Academy 14th class), and under the Moon Jae-in administration, Jeong Gyeong-du (Air Force Academy 30th class), Park Han-ki (ROTC 21st class), and Won In-chul (Air Force Academy 32nd class) successively served as Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs.

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