Song Eonseok: "Minseok Kim Makes Claims Without Evidence... Already Failed Public Vetting"

"An Unprecedented 'Blind Hearing'"
"Suspicions Remain Unresolved, Only Growing Deeper"

Song Eonseok, floor leader of the People Power Party, stated on the 25th, "Yesterday's confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Minseok Kim was an unprecedented 'blind hearing' with no materials to verify, no witnesses, and no reference persons," and urged, "Kim should withdraw his nomination."

Prime Minister nominee Minseok Kim is touching his forehead while attending the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 25th. Photo by Yonhap News

On his social media account (Facebook) that day, Song said, "The Democratic Party's actions, which have rendered the National Assembly confirmation hearing?a process meant to vet public office nominees on behalf of the people?ineffective, foreshadow the arrogance and self-righteousness that will define the future of the Lee Jaemyung administration." He emphasized, "Although the first day of the confirmation hearing for Minseok Kim was held yesterday, not only were numerous suspicions left unresolved, but even more questions have piled up."

Song further pointed out, "The most critical issue is that over the past five years, Kim’s income exceeded his expenditures by 800 million won, and he was asked to clarify the source of this 800 million won." "However, Kim failed to provide a single piece of supporting documentation for these unexplained multi-hundred-million-won earnings and continued to give only vague and evasive explanations," he criticized.

He continued, "For example, Kim explained that he received support from his in-laws, amounting to about 200 million won over five years, in increments of 2 to 3 million won at a time, because he was short on living expenses." He questioned, "According to Kim’s explanation, the 200 million won received from his in-laws was spent on living expenses, so how can money that has already been spent be considered the source of his increased assets?"

He went on to say, "Kim also claimed that he handled the gift tax on the 200 million won received from his in-laws before the confirmation hearing, but there is no record of gift tax payment in the confirmation hearing materials," adding, "He continues to make assertions without evidence, which only leads to more contradictions and inconsistencies."

Song said, "The most important thing for a public official is the trust of the people, so how can the public trust explanations that are full of lies?" He added, "Even if the confirmation hearings are changed under the Democratic Party’s proposed amendment to the Confirmation Hearing Act?making morality reviews closed to the public and only ability reviews open?Kim would still be unfit for the position."

Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 25th, Song said, "I will continue to watch the hearing until today, but even based on what came out yesterday, it is clear that Kim has failed the public vetting process," making it clear that he cannot agree to the adoption of the review report for Kim’s nomination. Regarding the possibility that the Democratic Party would push through the confirmation, Song said, "I don't think the public will stand by," and added, "If the Democratic Party considers the standards it applied to confirmation hearings when it was the opposition party, the answer will be obvious."

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