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.
Parties agree to hold one-day confirmation hearing for Cho
Rep. Na Kyung-won, left, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, and Rep. Lee In-young, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, shake hands before having a meeting over a confirmation hearing in the National Assembly for Justice Minster nominee Cho Kuk at the National Assembly, Wednesday.
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) agreed Wednesday to hold a National Assembly confirmation hearing for justice minister nominee Cho Kuk, Friday, after weeks of political wrangling.
“There were a lot of differences with the DPK, but we agreed to hold a confirmation hearing for Cho on Sept. 6 to serve our responsibility as lawmakers,” Rep. Na Kyung-won, floor leader of the LKP, told reporters after meeting with Rep. Lee In-young, her DPK counterpart.
The agreement came after the parties failed to hold a confirmation hearing earlier this week as planned, resulting in the beleaguered nominee holding an “unlimited press conference” at the Assembly, Monday, to explain his version of the multitude of corruption allegations against him and his family members. Parties have called for a proper confirmation hearing to review the credentials and background of Cho before he can be appointed as justice minister.
The agreement came one day after Cheong Wa Dae requested the Assembly to deliver a confirmation report on Cho and other nominees by Friday. The presidential office and the ruling DPK have said the press conference “was enough” to relieve the public's suspicions about Cho, but this was rejected with people saying that such an event could not substitute for an Assembly hearing.
Cheong Wa Dae welcomed the decision for the hearing. “Some people may not have seen the press conference. We expect that new allegations will also be cleared up during the hearing,” presidential senior secretary for public communications Yoon Do-han said during a briefing Wednesday.
President Moon, currently on overseas state visits to three Asian countries, asked for a National Assembly confirmation hearing report by Friday in an apparent move to appoint nominee Cho as minister regardless of whether it approved of the appointment.
Cheong Wa Dae and the DPK have been pushing Cho's appointment to ― in their words ― keep Moon's promise to completely reform the prosecution. Opposition parties have been refusing to hold the hearing claiming they need to question Cho's family members as key witnesses to clear up allegations he faces.
The press conference Cho held Monday to explain his position on the various allegations against him resulted in a strong backlash from the public and opposition for being unilateral and against protocol.
Cho has been embroiled in suspicions he got preferential treatment for his daughter who was admitted to medical school after attending prestigious universities, and that he and his family members were involved in a dubious investments in a private equity fund.
The minor opposition Bareunmirae Party (BMP), however, refused to endorse the agreement calling for the launch of a parliamentary investigation into Cho and the appointment of a special counsel to look into the corruption allegations.
“Despite the agreement, the BMP is sticking to the position that we will not cooperate with the Moon's show defending Cho, which is anti-constitutional,” Rep. Oh Shin-hwan, floor leader of the BMP, said in a statement.