Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Assembly agrees to hold confirmation hearing for Cho on Sept. 2-3
Senior members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee participate in a meeting at the National Assembly, Monday. They have agreed to hold a confirmation hearing for Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk from Sept. 2 to 3. Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
The political parties have agreed to hold a confirmation hearing for Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk from Sept. 2 to 3, Monday.
Senior members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party agreed to hold the hearing for Cho during a meeting for the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
The decision came after a series of failures in deciding when to hold the hearing at the Assembly due to their differences over its details amid growing calls for his nomination to be withdrawn. The DPK stressed the necessity of holding the hearing by the end of the month, while the LKP and the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party refused to accept the plan, suggesting the hearing be held at the start of September.
Earlier, the DPK pledged to hold the hearing itself if the National Assembly fails to hold one.
The National Assembly needs to hold a confirmation hearing for a ministerial-level nominee within 20 days of Cheong Wa Dae's request. But a nominee can take office without a hearing as it is not an obligation, but a show of agreement from the Assembly.
Cho has been facing public criticism over allegations that his 28-year-old daughter might have received preferential treatment allowing her to enter Korea University, one of the most prestigious universities in the country. She was listed as a “primary writer” in a medical thesis by a research team at Dankook University Medical School after completing a two week internship when she was a high school student in 2009. It's suspected that she received this benefit due to her father, then a professor at Seoul National University, and that this benefit may have helped her to enter Korea University.
The allegations surrounding his daughter are considered inappropriate by many especially as they relate to the matter of fairness in society and involve the children of parents with power and wealth.
Rep. Sim San-jeung, chairwoman of the progressive Justice Party, meets Kim Hu-gon, chief of the confirmation hearing preparation team for Cho at the National Assembly, Monday. Yonhap
Meanwhile, the confirmation hearing preparation team for Cho has visited the office of the progressive Justice Party at the National Assembly on the same day to explain about allegations involving Cho and his family.
The decision came four days after the party officially sent a letter to Cho asking for an explanation about the corruption and fraud allegations amid criticism of the decision by Cho and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) to hold a “public” confirmation hearing.
The progressive party earlier was positive about the nomination, but as suspicions against Cho and his family grew, it decided to directly ask him to give it further explanation on the matters.
The support of the minor party is considered vital for the DPK, which has been defending Cho, as it is widely viewed as a must to meet the standards that the Justice Party proposed during a parliamentary hearing as it is known to be skilled at screening ministerial nominees.