DP Forms Dedicated Team for Kim Seung-won to Counter Opposition Offensives

▲ Kim Seung-won and Han Dong-hoon shaking hands

The Democratic Party is forming a dedicated response team for Minister of Justice nominee Kim Seung-won, who faces allegations including soliciting approval for new drug clinical trials.

The decision comes as the conservative opposition, including the People Power Party and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, intensifies its offensive against the nominee, prompting the party to wage an all-out response.

Senior Spokesperson Park Sung-jun met with reporters today (the 7th) following a closed-door Supreme Council meeting and stated, "There is a need for the party to actively respond to the negative campaigns against nominee Kim."

Supreme Council members Han Min-soo and Jeon Yong-ki, Spokesperson Cho Kye-won, and Judiciary Committee member Kim Dong-a will join the response team.

Senior Spokesperson Park explained, "Regarding the nominee's personal response, there were remarks (at the Supreme Council) that the nominee must respond swiftly, and the nominee's preparation team has a role to play," adding, "You could view it as a dedicated response team being formed within the party to counter negative attacks."

Regarding criticisms from the conservative opposition, the party dismissed them as far-fetched and stepped up defense.

In particular, targeting independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, who raised related allegations, the party counterattacked by questioning how he obtained the transcripts.

Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom, the ruling party's secretary on the Judiciary Committee, appeared on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" and assessed, "This was a case that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and then-Minister Han Dong-hoon obsessively tore apart to investigate. Could there be any harsher verification than that?" adding, "It is a case that the Han Dong-hoon division has already vetted in advance."

Aiming at lawmaker Han, he criticized, "By excerpting, distorting, and editing, he is turning the case into something like 'Sunday Seoul,'" and added, "Seeing his skill of cutting out and editing investigation records with scissors, I cluck my tongue and want to give him a new nickname: 'Scissors No. 1 in Joseon.'"

Judiciary Committee member Park Ji-won also pointed out, "Fifteen prosecutors under Yoon Suk Yeol and Han Dong-hoon investigated nominee Kim for three years. If there were fault, would they grant a suspension of indictment instead of sending him to prison?" He demanded, "They must first reveal why a suspension of indictment was issued and where lawmaker Han obtained the transcript."

However, the party drew a line regarding Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee Yong Hye-in, who has faced criticism over holding concurrent roles as a proportional representation lawmaker and controversies surrounding the privatization of her party, stating, "Judgments must be made properly in line with the public's eye level."

Rep. Soojin, the ruling party's secretary on the Gender Equality and Family Committee, appeared on KBS Radio's "Jeong-gyeok Sisa" and said, "We need a hearing to be scheduled quickly so there is an opportunity to verify her convictions," while noting, "Because it is a position that requires meeting the public's eye level, high morality, and political responsibility, there are quite a few suspicions pouring out."

Lawmaker Park Ji-won also predicted, "No matter how much public officials think they are right, they cannot do the job if the public does not think so," adding, "We will have to see after the hearing, but it seems difficult for [nominee Yong] to endure."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

※