Kim Seung-won, the former candidate for Minister of Justice, resigned on September 19, prompting the opposition, including the People Power Party, to raise additional allegations against him. Despite his resignation, the opposition has called for him to step down from his parliamentary position, labeling it as a "de facto escape."
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk commented on his Facebook page regarding reports that a petition containing new allegations against Kim was submitted to the Blue House on September 17, stating, "It seems that more bombs from Kim Seung-won are about to explode." He listed accusations including drunk driving, verbal abuse towards aides, bribery, accounting fraud, and sexual harassment.
Jang also referenced Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok's earlier praise of Kim Seung-won, saying he was a "well-qualified appointment." He questioned whether it was time to remove the personnel from the Blue House's appointment line, specifically calling out Kim Hyun-ji, the head of the personnel office.
Kim Tae-kyu, the party's chief floor spokesperson, demanded an apology from the Democratic Party and the Blue House, noting that the petition was submitted on the same day President Lee was weighing Kim's appointment. He criticized the Democratic Party for showing emotional responses during the confirmation hearing while ignoring the allegations of sexual harassment against Kim's aides.
Independent lawmaker Na Kyung-won expressed on Facebook that the ongoing allegations of corruption and criminal conduct surrounding Kim Seung-won were endless, questioning whether his resignation was an attempt to evade further revelations. She insisted that his resignation as a ministerial candidate should not overshadow the need for him to resign from his parliamentary seat and face investigation.
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon held a press conference, criticizing the "disgraceful content" of the allegations. He stated that he had been receiving indirect reports about issues related to drinking, sexual misconduct, and abuse of power and urged the Democratic Party to take direct action.
The opposition has asserted that investigations into the allegations against Kim Seung-won should continue, regardless of his resignation. They have also pressured President Lee to declare an abandonment of the so-called "prosecution cancellation" policy.
People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik stated on Facebook, "The resignation of Kim Seung-won, who was at the forefront of President Lee's prosecution cancellation, is long overdue." He argued that as long as President Lee does not abandon the goal of prosecution cancellation, changing the frontman is meaningless.
Park Seong-hoon, the party's chief spokesperson, remarked in a statement that "resignation is not a get-out-of-jail-free card," emphasizing that the recent personnel disaster, which has led to claims of manipulation by Kim Hyun-ji, was a predictable outcome that necessitates disciplinary action against those responsible for personnel verification.
Lee Gi-in, the emergency committee chair of the Reform Party, warned on Facebook that if the president continues to appoint "puppets to erase trials," incidents like the Kim Seung-won case will repeat. He stressed that what the president needs to change is not the name of the candidate but the purpose of the nomination.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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