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| Rep. Na Kyung-won, third from right, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) speaks during an emergency meeting with party members near Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. The LKP called for an apology from President Moon Jae-in for appointing ministers without consent from the Assembly. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
By Park Ji-won
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) stepped up political offensives against President Moon Jae-in, Tuesday, over his recent appointments of ministers whose nominations it opposes.
The party's lawmakers held a rally in front of Cheong Wa Dae, demanding an apology from Moon, one day before he was scheduled to depart for the U.S. for a summit with President Donald Trump.
Describing Moon as an "evil" politician, LKP floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won said Moon and Cheong Wa Dae are "ruining" the country.
"Cheong Wa Dae has been under fire for lax screening on ministerial nominees and a lack of discipline in the public offices. However, Moon didn't take responsibility for it," Na said.
"We ask for reform of the presidential office and dismissal of senior civil affairs secretary Cho Kuk. Without these measures, we will continue to boycott Assembly sessions."
The rally came after Moon named five nominees including disputed nominees Kim Yeon-chul as unification minister and Park Young-sun as SMEs minister, Monday. Earlier, it refused to accept Moon's request to adopt confirmation hearing reports ― a procedure giving consent to presidential nominations ― on the two citing their lack of qualifications as high-ranking public officials.
The LKP also criticized the appointment of Kim for making remarks in favor of North Korea and Park for allegedly threatening conglomerates using her power as a lawmaker, urging the presidential office to fire the two.
The LKP also criticized former Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom's alleged property speculation, calling for an investigation into his mobilization of a loan.
"It is impossible for him to borrow 1 billion won with his property as collateral. But he ended up borrowing money from the bank by possibly forging documents," Rep. Shim Jae-cheol said.
Kim stepped down from the post on March 29 after coming under fire for buying a house worth 2.5 billion won ($2.18 million) in a lucrative redevelopment zone in Seoul last July by mobilizing a loan of 1 billion won at a time when the government imposed tough measures against overheated real estate speculation, especially in areas about to be redeveloped.
Kim claimed the purchase was not speculation but part of his retirement plan, stressing that he hadn't been a homeowner for decades.
The LKP's protest will likely continue for a while as the party pledged to refuse to cooperate on government affairs if Moon appoints the nominees.
Citing Unification Minister Kim's possible ethical lapse and lack of qualification, Rep. Kim Jae-kyung, a member of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, said "It might be difficult to invite the unification minister to discuss the country's affairs at the Assembly as the LKP earlier said we will not cooperate with the operation of the standing committee if the government forcefully appoint the nominee."
Rep. Lee Yang-soo, spokesman of the LKP, also said the LKP may boycott Assembly sessions to pressure the government.
