Democratic and Justice Parties Criticize Yoon's 2nd Cabinet Reshuffle as "Shameless" and "Deep-rooted Corruption Reshuffle"

The Democratic Party and the Justice Party unanimously criticized the second cabinet reshuffle on the 13th, which involved replacing the Ministers of National Defense, Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Gender Equality and Family, calling it a "deep-rooted corruption reshuffle" and "scapegoating personnel, obstinate personnel."

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That afternoon, Kwon Chil-seung, the chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a National Assembly briefing, "President Yoon Seok-yeol announced the second cabinet reshuffle, including Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop. This is a scapegoating reshuffle to cut off suspicions directed at the president."

Chief Spokesperson Kwon questioned, "Is replacing the Minister of National Defense with Representative Shin Won-sik, who is suspected of fabricating and concealing the signatures of unit members, President Yoon's answer?" He criticized, "If they think this shameless reshuffle will succeed in 'scapegoating' and 'concealing suspicions,' they are gravely mistaken." He then emphasized, "President Yoon Seok-yeol should respond by accepting a special prosecutor investigation."

Regarding the replacement of the Ministers of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Gender Equality and Family, he also slammed it as "an obstinate personnel move to reinforce ideological warriors and further strengthen an uncommunicative government." He said, "The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism is a regressor of the K-pop era, and the Minister of Gender Equality and Family is an acquaintance of the president's wife." He added, "Candidate Yoo In-chon is the very person who previously made offensive remarks and oppressed figures in the cultural and artistic community, a shameless recycled candidate, and candidate Kim Haeng for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is a 20-year friend of Mrs. Kim Geon-hee, which sounds like handing over women's and family policies to Mrs. Kim Geon-hee." He continued, "We asked for a cabinet overhaul, but only more problematic personnel were gathered," and concluded, "The Democratic Party opposes President Yoon Seok-yeol's scapegoating personnel and obstinate personnel of uncommunication."

The Justice Party also condemned the reshuffle in an afternoon briefing, calling it "an arrogant rampage and a deep-rooted corruption reshuffle of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration."

Kim Hee-seo, the chief spokesperson, said, "Instead of showing a will for reform in positions that require accountability and renewal due to ideological warfare, allegations of investigation interference, broadcasting control, setbacks in gender equality policies, and the failure of the Jamboree, they have announced a more aggressive rampage," adding, "This is an arrogant personnel move ignoring public sentiment and a dogmatic rampage declaration openly fighting the people."

Spokesperson Kim pointed out, "Candidate Shin Won-sik is a person who has misled and exacerbated the chaotic situation in the Ministry of National Defense, such as disparaging General Hong Beom-do and the North Korean drone hole incident, by taking a more hardline approach," and criticized, "They can only be seen as nominating someone who will lead ideological warfare and conceal investigation interference more aggressively as the Minister of National Defense candidate."

He also strongly criticized, "Candidate Yoo In-chon is a 'proven deep-rooted corruption' revealed by politically charged attacks and blacklist allegations during the MB administration, showing distorted and biased values and policy operations. For the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which is embroiled in debates over its existence and is being led into dysfunction by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, they have appointed a politician with a pro-Yoon political stance who is clearly moving backward on gender equality. The appointment of proven deep-rooted corruption, MB old boys, and pro-Yoon political rewards only clearly reveals the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's poor talent pool and a national governance philosophy that is not just outdated but rotten."

Spokesperson Kim said, "The anti-peace dual rampage system of the Ministry of Unification and Ministry of National Defense with Kim Young-ho and Shin Won-sik, and the dual deep-rooted corruption system of the Korea Communications Commission and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with Lee Dong-gwan and Yoo In-chon for media control are truly horrifying," adding, "This will not only be recorded as a failure of the administration but also as a disastrous personnel move that practically threatens peace, democracy, and the lives of the people."

Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi evaluated the second cabinet reshuffle on Facebook that day, saying, "They say a tiger comes after the fox leaves, but this is truly personnel intended to provoke public outrage."

Regarding candidate Shin Won-sik for Minister of National Defense, she said, "He is a person who disparages General Hong Beom-do, stigmatizes Jamboree youth who left early as 'anti-state forces,' accuses opposition party lawmakers of being spies over North Korean drone infiltration, and whose every legislative activity is itself a generator of outrageous remarks." She criticized candidate Kim Haeng for Minister of Gender Equality and Family as "a person with no expertise in women's and family issues."

Candidate Yoo In-chon for Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism was also described as "standing at the pinnacle of this reshuffle disaster," with Lee saying, "He is a self-proclaimed symbol of media and cultural oppression who even in vacant positions repeatedly verbally abused journalists, and is accused of forming a 'Leftist Entertainer Response Task Force' with the National Intelligence Service to create a blacklist and attempt to expel progressive cultural and artistic figures." She emphasized that these candidates "will never pass the National Assembly threshold nor gain public consent."

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