[Reporter’s Notebook] Prosecutor General Confirmation Hearing Degenerates into a ‘Political Fandom Shorts’ Spectacle

“Is the candidate a monarch?”, “Please be silent”, “Can’t you even answer this much?”.

Videos of the confirmation hearing for nominee Shim Woo-jung, Prosecutor General, were produced in real-time as YouTube Shorts with such titles. Each video was about 30 seconds long. Some received over 2,000 likes. The more provocative the thumbnail, the higher the views. This was especially true when the candidate was edited to look scolded or humiliated. Reactions varied. Comments like “Dismantle the prosecution” and “No to political prosecutors” supported the opposition party. On the other hand, there were posts showing political cynicism and disgust, such as “I don’t want to watch the hearing”, “The National Assembly is pathetic”, and “Have you all (members of the National Assembly) submitted everything?”.

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min asked a question consisting of as many as 83 syllables, and as soon as the nominee began to respond, he immediately cut him off. He asked, “If you, as Prosecutor General, engage in illegal or unconstitutional acts while performing your duties, and the National Assembly decides to impeach you, will you actively comply? If a fault is found,” and as soon as the nominee started to say, “Impeachment is...”, Kim interrupted, saying, “Can’t you even answer this much? That’s enough,” and stopped the speech.

Jeong Cheong-rae, chairman of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, pointed out the issue of special activity funds for the prosecution and rebuked, “Please be silent. I feel sorry for you.” Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo raised her voice, criticizing the insufficient submission of materials, saying, “Is the candidate a monarch? Do you have to hold a press conference just because the candidate doesn’t submit materials?” The words of the three lawmakers?Jeong Cheong-rae, Seo Young-kyo, and Kim Yong-min?became popular content. Edited footage circulated depicting them as “secret inspectors judging the all-powerful Prosecutor General.”

Questions remain. Why ask questions if you do not intend to listen to the answers? How does the current opposition party plan to explain their defense of many high-ranking officials during the Moon Jae-in administration who refused to submit confirmation hearing materials due to concerns over privacy invasion?

The ones harmed by such confirmation hearings are the moderate middle ground and the majority of the public who do not belong to the “extreme fandom.” Rather than discerning the candidate’s merits, the focus is on discipline and political showing, making proper personnel verification impossible. It only deepens political distrust. Isn’t this why the argument that confirmation hearings are useless is raised?

The opposition party uses confirmation hearings as a stage for fandom support, and the president pushes appointments without opposition consent?how long must we watch this vicious cycle? Since the current administration began, ministerial-level appointments without confirmation hearing reports have occurred 27 times. During the Moon Jae-in administration, it was 34 over five years. When confirmation hearings become parliamentary theater, the candidates become minor actors. All the lines are taken by the hearing committee members, and the audience is limited to enthusiastic supporters, the president or former presidents, party leaders, or specific factions. Questions become not inquiries but political statements or speeches. Confirmation hearings degenerate into a stage for lawmakers’ political performances.

Regarding the confirmation hearing system, a politician once said in 2009, “It’s just a day of ritual.” Fifteen years later, this situation still sounds valid. Isn’t this reality too sad to be dismissed with a bitter laugh?

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