High moral standards and compliance with the law have historically been required of South Korea's Justice Ministers. Kim Kyung-hwan, the first nominee for Justice Minister under the Moon Jae-in administration, resigned before his confirmation hearing in 2017 after revelations about his unauthorized marriage registration raised questions about his qualifications to oversee law and human rights.
Similarly, Kim Tae-jung, who served as Justice Minister during the Kim Dae-jung administration, stepped down just over two weeks after his appointment amid allegations of a bribery scandal known as the 'clothing lobbying' case, which threatened public trust in the justice system.
In contrast, Kim Seung-won, the nominee under President Lee Jae-myung, faces unresolved allegations regarding lobbying for the approval of new drug clinical trials. Issues related to drunk driving and his children's fraudulent residency registration also remain. The progressive civic group Participatory Justice stated after the confirmation hearing that while the lobbying allegations are currently under suspension of prosecution, they are not easily dismissed as mere 'targeted investigations' by the prosecution, but rather strongly suspected of being 'unlawful lobbying.' They further noted that his past drunk driving and the residency fraud of his children constitute serious disqualifications for someone who is to uphold the law as Justice Minister.
Although not a Justice Minister, the case of Kim Tae-ho, who was nominated as Prime Minister in 2010, is worth revisiting. Kim faced controversy over inconsistencies in his statements regarding when he first met former Taekwang Industrial Chairman Park Yeon-cha, leading to accusations of 'flip-flopping' and 'perjury.' He ultimately resigned four days after the confirmation hearing, stating, 'If there is no public trust, what can I accomplish even if I am appointed as Prime Minister.'
During his confirmation hearing on September 15, Kim Seung-won claimed he had never represented a case involving Judge Jeong In-jae, who is linked to the new drug clinical trial approval allegations. However, this was inaccurate; Kim was the legal representative for the plaintiff in a case heard by the Seoul High Court's Civil Division 21 from 2013 to 2014, where Judge Jeong served as an associate judge.
The ruling party asserted that 'no serious disqualifications have been confirmed' and adopted the confirmation report unilaterally. However, there were no witnesses or references present at Kim's confirmation hearing.
Public opinion also diverges from the ruling party's stance. A survey conducted by the Korea Social Opinion Institute (KSOI) from September 14 to 15 among 1,001 adults aged 18 and older revealed that 52.1% opposed Kim's appointment, while only 25.1% supported it. Among undecided voters, 54.2% opposed the nomination, with only 9.5% in favor.
With the President's approval rating dropping to the mid-30s, appointing a nominee opposed by more than half the public necessitates a compelling reason to persuade the populace. President Lee Jae-myung is scheduled to hold a press conference at the Blue House on the morning of September 18, aiming to communicate directly with the public and address key issues amid declining approval ratings. The Blue House has stated that it takes the public's evaluation reflected in the approval ratings 'seriously and with great responsibility.' During this conference, President Lee is expected to provide a clear rationale for why Kim should be appointed as Justice Minister. Without such a process, the repercussions will rest solely on the Lee Jae-myung administration.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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