[Anchor]
As nominee Kim Seung-won is expected to be appointed shortly, President Lee Jae-myung will hold a press conference today (September 18). He is expected to directly address pending issues cited as reasons for his declining approval ratings, including critical matters such as a constitutional amendment allowing consecutive presidential terms and the withdrawal of indictments.
Park Yerim reports.
[Reporter]
Following the National Assembly's adoption of the confirmation hearing report for Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, Cheong Wa Dae is leaning toward President Lee appointing him.
A Cheong Wa Dae official told SBS, "The adoption of the confirmation report is entirely the judgment of the National Assembly," while adding, "We consider that the allegations against nominee Kim were explained to some extent during the hearing process."
Although the report was approved solely by the ruling party, Cheong Wa Dae appears to be considering that the likelihood of the People Power Party agreeing to adopt the report was low from the outset.
Regarding Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to head the inaugural Major Crime Investigation Agency, whom hardliners on prosecution reform within the broader ruling coalition oppose, Cheong Wa Dae has initiated "additional vetting," but President Lee is reportedly expected to send the formal confirmation hearing request for Kim to the National Assembly soon.
This is interpreted as a judgment that re-nominating another candidate would be unreasonable, as the agency is scheduled to launch on October 2.
However, Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae launched a fierce attack against nominee Kim yesterday, calling him a "lackey of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration," and Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min demanded the withdrawal of his nomination.
President Lee Jae-myung is expected to address controversies surrounding the cabinet reshuffle during this morning's national press conference, including the voluntary resignation of Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee Yong Hye-in.
With Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik reportedly considering his position following the recent resignation of former Senior Presidential Secretary for Policy Kim Yong-beom, attention is also focused on whether the president will announce plans to restructure Cheong Wa Dae.
President Lee may also articulate a clear stance on controversies surrounding the withdrawal of indictments and the constitutional amendment for consecutive presidential terms, while the deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz and investments in the United States are also expected to be core topics at today's conference.
(Video by Jeong Sang-bo and Ha Ryung | Video Editing by Lee Seung-hee | Graphics by Lee Jong-jeong)
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