The confirmation hearing for Kim Min-seok, the Prime Minister nominee, held at the National Assembly on the 25th, has not resumed since it was suspended amid a battle of nerves between the ruling and opposition parties over the controversy surrounding Kim's 'failure to submit materials.'
On this day, the People Power Party stated that it would be difficult to proceed with the hearing normally, citing that no materials related to Kim's financial status and academic qualifications had been submitted.
In contrast, the Democratic Party of Korea countered that the People Power Party was engaging in excessive political offensives and maintained that Kim had sufficiently clarified the issues. Kim also upheld the position that he submitted all materials within the scope that could be submitted according to the precedents for Prime Minister confirmation hearings.
As the battle of nerves over the submission of materials continued, Chairperson Lee Jong-bae of the National Assembly's Special Committee on Confirmation Hearings declared a recess around 4:30 p.m. In subsequent consultations between the chairperson and the ruling and opposition party secretaries, both sides also failed to find common ground.
That evening, members of the People Power Party who are part of the Special Committee on Policy held a press conference and stated that Kim was attempting to boycott the hearing by refusing to submit materials. They conveyed that they could not proceed with the hearing under the current circumstances.
Members of the People Power Party said, 'However, we wish for this hearing to proceed normally to the end and will wait,' adding, 'If the documents we requested and which Kim said he would submit are delivered properly, we will return to the hearing and ensure it is concluded well.'
In response, the Democratic Party members immediately held a separate press conference to refute the claims of the People Power Party, stating that they had received reports that banners indicating the Prime Minister nominee was 'hoarding 600 million won in cash' and 'subject to investigation, not verification' had been distributed nationwide.
Democratic Party Secretary Kim Hyun commented regarding the remarks of People Power Party Representative Joo Jin-woo about the '600 million won cabinet,' saying, '(The premise of the allegations) is wrong; why should only the nominee provide materials unilaterally?' She added, 'They should withdraw their statements and apologize before we can take corresponding action.'