Hwang endorsed as prime minister
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has his temperature checked at the National Medical Center in Seoul, Thursday. Hwang met with MERS patients and medical staff at the center. / Yonhap
By Do Je-hae
Hwang Kyo-ahn was confirmed as prime minister, Thursday, 28 days after being nominated by President Park Geun-hye.
The National Assembly endorsed his nomination in a 156-120 vote.
Two lawmakers abstained, while the minor Justice Party, which has five seats, boycotted the session.
Without an inauguration ceremony, the former justice minister went straight to the National Medical Center in Seoul to console patients and encourage medical staff fighting the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) epidemic.
"I feel a heavy sense of duty as the people’s anxiety over MERS is growing," Hwang said "I will do my best as a control tower for government efforts to end the outbreak."
Hwang took the second-highest government position, vacated by former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo in late April due to bribery allegations.
The plenary session took place after days of negotiations between the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).
The latter had objected to Hwang’s nomination citing his allegedly flawed history as a prosecutor and lawyer, in addition to draft-dodging allegations.
The NPAD had considered boycotting the vote, but ultimately participated.
“We still see him as unfit for the job,” Rep. Park Soo-hyun, an NPAD spokesman told reporters Thursday. “We will continue to closely watch how he deals with the MERS outbreak, the drought and other pressing issues regarding people’s livelihoods.”
“Hwang assumes the prime ministerial post at a very difficult time for the nation,” ruling party floor leader Rep. Yoo Seong-min said. “We expect that he will take full charge of the government’s efforts to contain MERS.”
As a condition for participating in the vote, the NPAD called for an overhaul of the Assembly’s confirmation hearing procedure for senior government posts.
“We are not pleased with the outcome of today’s vote,” NPAD Chairman Rep. Moon Jae-in said. “But since the parties have agreed to work on the confirmation hearing procedure, we hope that this will be an occasion to improve the system.”
Last week, the ruling party unilaterally adopted a confirmation report on Hwang after a three-day confirmation hearing that failed to clearly address some of the allegations raised by the opposition bloc.
As prime minister, Hwang will be present at the four-day interpellation sessions starting today. The first session will be on issues regarding diplomacy and security.
The 58-year-old is known as a champion of the National Security Law, which bans sympathizing with or circulating the ideology of North Korea.
His appointment signals a possible Cabinet reshuffle to add fresh momentum to the Park administration.
Park is expected to announce a justice minister nominee shortly.
Some politicians who concurrently serve in the Cabinet — Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan and Education Minister Hwang Woo-yea — are expected to return to the Assembly in the coming months as they get ready for the general elections in 2016.
There is speculation that some ministers who have served since the beginning of the administration may also be replaced in the next reshuffle.