Democrats Shield Kim Seung-won While Keeping Distance From Yong Hye-in, Calls Grow for Resignation

The Democratic Party has drawn a clear line between two embattled ministerial nominees. It openly rallied behind Kim Seung-won, who faces allegations of involvement in lobbying over COVID-19 treatments, while keeping its distance from Yong Hye-in, who is under fire for seeking a ministerial post while retaining her proportional-representation lawmaker position.

At a 최고위원회의 meeting in South Chungcheong Province on the 4th, Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do accused the People Power Party of trying to label nominees before confirmation hearings had even begun. He said turning candidates into criminals based on a predetermined conclusion amounted to a “people’s trial,” not personnel screening.

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The People Power Party is obsessed with stigmatizing ministerial nominees even before the confirmation process begins.

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok also attacked independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, who has repeatedly raised the allegations against Kim. Kim Min-seok accused Han of “suddenly acting as if he were firing a barrage of guns” and said the party would avoid a broad response, leaving spokesman Jo Kye-won as the designated responder. A Democratic Party official said exaggerating the issue involving lobbying at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety had left Kim feeling deeply wronged.

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Turning a nominee into a criminal after deciding the answer in advance is not personnel screening but a people’s trial.

The party adopted a markedly more restrained tone toward Yong. Kim Min-seok had said the previous day that he was listening to concerns and criticism over the dual-office issue and was considering them carefully. Asked whether the situation had changed, senior spokesman Park Seong-joon said the party’s position remained an extension of those remarks. No further official comment emerged from the party leadership.

Inside the party, some lawmakers now argue that Yong should give up the nomination, particularly amid unfavorable public sentiment among people in their 20s and 30s. One senior lawmaker said an early decision would be better and suggested that Yong retain her parliamentary seat for the Basic Income Party while withdrawing as a nominee. A party official said she could decide as early as the weekend. The Basic Income Party said Yong was gathering views while preparing for the hearing and that no decision or discussion had been finalized.

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I have been listening carefully to many concerns and criticisms and am watching the situation.