"6.25 War Was Obviously a 'Northward Invasion'"... Commotion at Han Seong-sook's Confirmation Hearing

The confirmation hearing for Han Seong-sook, the nominee for the second Prime Minister of the Lee Jae-myung administration, was held at the National Assembly today (June 25).

With today marking the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, questions regarding the nominee's views on national security were poured out. When asked by People Power Party lawmakers, "Who is the main enemy, and is North Korea the main enemy?" Han replied as follows:

[Han Seong-sook/Prime Minister Nominee: I believe that any entity that threatens our Republic of Korea is our enemy. North Korea is in a very dualistic situation, as it is both a threat and a fellow compatriot.]

Han continued by emphasizing, "Peaceful coexistence and mutual growth on the Korean Peninsula are goals that anyone can agree on," adding, "It is important how we engage with and manage relations with North Korea for the sake of peace on the peninsula."

When asked by People Power Party lawmaker Kim Sun-kyo whether the Korean War was a "southward invasion" or a "northward invasion," Han momentarily replied "northward invasion," causing an uproar in the hearing room.

[Han Seong-sook/Prime Minister Nominee: That is a northward invasion, lawmaker. Obviously.]

[Kim Sun-kyo/People Power Party: Excuse me? What did you say?]

[Han Seong-sook/Prime Minister Nominee: I apologize. It is a southward invasion.]

[Kim Sun-kyo/People Power Party: That is why I am asking.]

As the controversy continued, Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sun-won defended the nominee, stating, "The Prime Minister nominee is not the Minister of National Defense."

[Park Sun-won/Democratic Party: I think it is inappropriate to talk about 'main enemies' as young people often do as a joke these days.]

Regarding allegations that she had illegally expanded a house in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and only recently demolished the extension, Han apologized, saying, "It was delayed due to long-term consultations with the district office," and added, "I feel very sorry for the late demolition."

She also addressed the controversy surrounding her past history of owning multiple homes, stating, "I feel sorry for the parts that did not meet the public's expectations."

Han had previously owned four properties, including an officetel, but has recently sold three of them.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Ui-seon | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.