I am an editorial writer at The Korea Times, focusing on foreign policy, North Korea and domestic politics. My key areas of interest include North Korea, foreign interference in elections, election integrity, cyberattacks and human rights. Prior to joining the Editorial Board, I served as both Politics Desk editor and Culture Desk editor. During my career, I have reported on the Presidential Office under the Lee Myung-bak administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly.
Park concerned over privacy violation for nominees
President-elect Park Geun-hye, left, speaks to Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil before posing for a photo at the presidential transition team’s office in Tongeui-dong, Seoul, Thursday. / Korea Times photo by Sohn Yong-suk
By Kang Hyun-kyung
By Kang Hyun-kyung
President-elect Park Geun-hye raised the issue of privacy violations in revealing her concern over the way lawmakers scrutinize nominees at confirmation hearings, during a luncheon with ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers from Gangwon Province.
“If the confirmation hearing takes the form of scrutiny and the disclosure of nominees’ private actions as it does now, I am wondering who will take the call to serve the nation?” she was quoted as saying in the closed-door get together.
Park reportedly criticized lawmakers since they focused too much on nominees’ personal background, while disregarding their ability and credentials. She didn’t hide her feelings about some lawmakers making baseless allegations to attack and discredit them.
“Some raise suspicions about nominees without checking facts in advance. If those allegations turn out to be false, they say ‘never mind.’ I believe this kind of attitude is of no help at all,” she said.
Her remarks came a couple of days after Kim Yong-joon, her first nominee for prime minister, withdrew after several allegations were made about him and his family, including his two sons’ exemption from military service.
Kim’s withdrawal followed a National Assembly committee’s failure to reach an agreement on Lee Dong-heub, a nominee for president of the Constitutional Court, a necessary procedure for National Assembly Speaker Kang Chang-hee to table a vote on him in a plenary session.
President Lee Myung-bak nominated Lee as the court head after consulting with the incoming president.
The selection malfunctions caused Park to face criticism for her “go-it-alone” nominations without listening to diverse opinions about candidates and screening their background.
This has reportedly affected Park’s selections as she is now focusing on candidates who can pass confirmation hearings after Kim dropped out of consideration.
During the luncheon, Park said she was aware that there were people who “gossiped” about her selection process, saying decisions are made behind closed doors.
“Let’s suppose that I intentionally leak two or three candidates’ names to the media for the purpose of screening them. This will deal a blow to some or all of them because (the media) will put them under a microscope. I try not to leak candidates’ names before I make a decision because of this,” she said.
Her remarks invited criticism from the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP).
In a radio program, DUP floor leader Park Ki-choon criticized Park for blaming the confirmation hearing process. “It is regretful to hear that (the new president) blamed the institution to screen nominees, not addressing the problem of her selections,” he said.