Byung-gi Kim, acting representative and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (in the center), speaks at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 20th. (Photo by Min-kyu Park, senior reporter)
On the 23rd, a day before the confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Min-seok Kim, acting representative and floor leader Byung-gi Kim of the Democratic Party of Korea urged the People Power Party to “cooperate magnanimously in approving the nominee.”
During the Democratic Party Supreme Council meeting, Kim stated, “We do not have time to waste on party interests and obstruction,” adding urgency to the confirmation of Min-seok Kim. The confirmation hearing is scheduled for the 24th to 25th.
Kim highlighted the “global complex crisis situation compounded by the Middle East war amid the crisis triggered by internal conflicts” and stressed that “A Prime Minister who can urgently lead the cabinet needs to be approved as soon as possible.”
The People Power Party is considering a boycott of the hearing, citing issues such as private debt controversies involving nominee Kim and about 800 million won in unidentified income over the past five years. Kim urged cooperation from the People Power Party, stating, “This is the restoration and duty of politics.”
The Democratic Party plans to convene a special committee on budget and accounts (known as the extraordinary budget committee) to review the supplementary budget proposal submitted by the government to the National Assembly today. The ruling and opposition parties remain in a standoff over the allocation of vacant Standing Committee chairs, including the National Assembly’s Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the budget committee. Kim remarked, “The urgent handling of the 30 trillion won livelihood supplementary budget is needed,” and called on the People Power Party to “convene a National Assembly plenary session this week.”