장관후보 낙마 속 대결정국 지속
South Korea's ruling party is scrambling to get the rest of President Moon's nominees for minister posts through parliament, after two of his picks withdrew.
But the opposition is calling for some of the remaining five to also withdraw, while demanding that those responsible for the vetting process step down.
Today is the initial deadline to adopt reports from their confirmation hearings - a formality before their appointments.
Kim Min-ji reports.
It's not an easy path forward for President Moon Jae-in's cabinet picks.
Although the National Assembly wrapped up confirmation hearings for the seven candidates last week,... rival parties have been at odds over publishing the reports on those hearings,... with the opposition bloc calling them unfit for the job.
Despite two nominees dropping out over the weekend,... tensions between the parties remain high.
The president withdrew his nomination for new science minister Cho Dong-ho for allegedly attending an overseas conference organized by a fraudulent academic group,... while transport minister nominee Choi Jeong-ho dropped out voluntarily for alleged real estate speculation.
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party has agreed to adopt reports for three of the five remaining candidates,... but not for SME or unification minister nominees.
Unification minister nominee Kim Yeon-chul,... has come under fire for making controversial and pro-North Korea remarks in the past,... and SME minister nominee Park Young-sun... for refusing to submit documents necessary for the hearing,... as well as ethical lapses.
"The top office needs to stop nominating candidates based on their favorability to the administration. Despite two candidates falling through,... there have been no penalties for those who did the vetting. We call for those in charge to resign."
The Ruling Democratic Party noted the need for stricter rules and vetting of candidates in the initial stages to ensure that inappropriate candidates are screened out from the beginning.
It also called on the opposition parties to stop their political attacks... and to cooperate in adopting hearing reports for all of the nominees.
"The opposition parties can put their opinions in the report if they think the candidates aren't qualified,... but they can't refuse to issue the report outright. We call on the opposition to cooperate in getting the reports published as stipulated in the law."
The initial deadline for the parties to publish a report is Monday,... as the law requires the National Assembly to complete the hearing process within 20 days of a formal request.
"President Moon can ask again for rival parties to issue hearing reports within the next 10 days. If they're still not issued by then,... he can go on to appoint them,... however, that would likely spark further political tensions. Kim Min-ji, Arirang News."
