A confirmation hearing for Lee Hye-hoon, nominee for Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Budget, was held on the 23rd at the National Assembly Strategy and Finance Committee. It was convened after tug-of-war between the ruling and opposition parties over whether to hold the hearing. As President Lee Jae-myung said at the New Year's press conference on the 21st, regarding Lee's appointment, "I have not decided what to do. I will listen to her and hear the public's judgment," attention focused on whether the nominee would offer convincing answers to the various suspicions.
But the hearing unfolded less as an explanation and more like a "one-stop exhibition of allegations," with new issues raised such as accusations that her eldest son was improperly admitted to Yonsei University. Not only the opposition but also ruling party lawmakers joined in reproaching the nominee, producing a rare scene of both sides speaking with one voice.
Choi Eun-seok of the People Power Party raised suspicions of improper admission in connection with the nominee's eldest son's entry to Yonsei University. The nominee had initially said her eldest son entered Yonsei under the multi-child household track, but in 2010, when he enrolled, there was no such track. When Choi pressed her, the nominee said, "I mixed up my eldest and second sons," and answered, "The eldest entered under the social contributors track, as a person who enhanced national prestige."
In fact, Yonsei's social contributors track includes "persons who enhanced national prestige." Yonsei defines them as "those who have won a globally prestigious award or achieved accomplishments that elevated the national prestige of the Republic of Korea, or their children and grandchildren." The nominee said, "My father-in-law received the Cheongjo Order of Service Merit in recognition of many public services over a lifetime as a public official, not for political achievements, and that satisfied the eligibility." The nominee's father-in-law, former Minister of Home Affairs Kim Tae-ho, a four-term lawmaker, received the Cheongjo Order of Service Merit.
Choi responded, "In the admissions guidelines for the rolling recruitment at the time, we could not find any provision under the social contributors track for persons who enhanced national prestige that 'those who received orders of merit are recognized as such,'" adding, "If you do not submit the documents related to admissions screening, it can only be presumed 100% to be an improper admission."
He further criticized, "Ordinary people would never have thought to apply through this track at Yonsei just because they had a grandfather who received an order of merit."
On the allegation that the married eldest son was listed as "sham single" to increase the number of dependents and won a subscription for Raemian One Pentas in Banpo-dong, Seoul, lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties poured on criticism.
Choi Eun-seok of the People Power Party said, "By submitting the One Pentas improper subscription documents only to investigative authorities and not to the National Assembly, you are disregarding the Assembly and mocking the public," and Park Sung-hoon of the People Power Party also said, "The crux is a violation of the Housing Act. We asked for evidence showing whether the eldest son actually lived at One Pentas, but no documents have been submitted."
In particular, even ruling party lawmakers pressed the nominee over her answers on the One Pentas issue, making the hearing unfold differently from a typical confirmation hearing.
Jeong Il-young of the Democratic Party said, "At the time of the One Pentas subscription, of the 74 subscription points, 32 were for the period without dwellings, 25 for family size, and 17 for the length of savings subscriptions," adding, "We asked for the most basic application form for the sale, but the response was that it was an online application and could not be submitted."
Lee So-young of the Democratic Party also said, "As the floor leader on the budget committee, I prepared questions on budget and finance, but listening to the morning answers raised doubts," adding, "A newlywed couple whose relationship had broken down started living together again only after 1 year and 5 months, and the very day happened to be the day after the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport finished its investigation into improper subscriptions at One Pentas and announced the results."
Five-term lawmaker Kim Tae-nyeon of the Democratic Party said, "The Lee Jae-myung administration is pursuing various policies to stabilize the real estate market, and one is establishing a fair market order by strictly cracking down on acts that disrupt market order," adding, "If the nominee's One Pentas subscription was improper, it is a serious personal issue and also serious in policy terms. That is why we are tenaciously checking this issue, and I agree with much of the questioning."
Amid attacks from both sides, the nominee maintained, "I know there are shortcomings by the public's standards," but also, "I followed the rules and procedures." The nominee also said, "I followed the announcement at the time of subscription."
Choi Ki-sang of the Democratic Party indirectly criticized the nominee's alleged abuse of power and verbal abuse by mentioning the "Minister's job guidelines." He said, "The minister's job guidelines include a minister's leadership and image, attitude, use of gentle terms, treating everyone with courtesy, and mingling with staff without reserve," and asked, "If you serve as Minister, will you be able to work with staff in this manner as the booklet states?" The nominee answered, "This has made me reflect deeply; I feel it in my bones and am repentant."
Beyond the allegations of improper admission to Yonsei for the eldest son and improper subscription at One Pentas, a range of issues were raised at the hearing, including controversies over abuse of power and verbal abuse toward aides, the spouse's and children's investments in bonds of lending companies, and land purchases on Yeongjongdo.