The Democratic Party (DP) on today (the 5th) defended nominee for Minister of Justice Kim Seung-won, criticizing the People Power Party's (PPP) offensive pushing for his withdrawal as a political attack.

In a written briefing, Floor Spokesperson Kim Sung-hoe criticized the PPP's raising of suspicions regarding Nominee Kim's solicitation for clinical approval of a new COVID-19 drug, stating, "Driving toward a predetermined conclusion even before the confirmation hearing begins is not verification, but merely a political offensive," and adding, "They are stigmatizing a nominee whom even the Yoon Suk Yeol government's prosecutors failed to indict."

Floor Spokesperson Kim asked rhetorically, "The Yoon Suk Yeol government's prosecutors conducted a full-scale investigation, yet ultimately failed to indict Nominee Kim," and "Are they now going to deny the conclusion of the prosecutors they themselves commanded?"

He continued, pointing out, "At the time, the People Power Party was the ruling party. What restrictions could there have been on an investigation targeting a single opposition lawmaker?" and "They could not hand him over to trial even on a tilted playing field."

He then refuted, "The People Power Party is jumping to conclusions about bribery and mentioning prison over an unconfirmed matter," adding, "There is no fact of money or valuables having changed hands."

Directing his remarks toward PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok, a former judge, Floor Spokesperson Kim said, "He is eagerly handing down a guilty verdict against Nominee Kim that even the court has not made," and "If he is so eager to issue verdicts, he should put his judicial robe back on."

Floor Spokesperson Kim emphasized, "Now is the time to calmly listen to the nominee's voice," and "We must continue discussions based on facts and data at the confirmation hearing where perjury is punishable."