ED Annoying inquiry

Rep. Choi Min-hee, left, of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea whispers in Lee Jin-sook's ear during a confirmation hearing that started, Wednesday. Choi was quoted as saying that Lee, the chairperson nominee of the Korea Communications Commission, should never try to confront her. Yonhap

The confirmation hearing of Lee Jin-sook, the chairperson nominee of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), was disturbing, if not disgusting.

The three-day event was packed with personal attacks against the MBC journalist-turned-KCC-chief designate as well as her counterattacks against the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) lawmakers.

The two sides clashed throughout the hearing because of mutual distrust. The DPK lawmakers considered Lee as part of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s plans to control the media in his favor, and were united to stop her from assuming the post. Lee, however, didn’t back down. She was resolute in urging opposition lawmakers to consider how the unionized MBC workers, supported by the then-Moon Jae-in government, had persecuted their non-unionized colleagues. This persecution had severe repercussions for the careers of those affected journalists.

Both sides are responsible for turning the hearing into a cat fight.

However, Rep. Choi Min-hee of the DPK, who chairs the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, bears greater responsibility, because her inappropriate demeanor and controversial remarks only exacerbated the situation.

Tensions erupted from the very beginning of the hearing on Wednesday. When Lee presented a certificate to Rep. Choi after taking an oath and walked away to go back to her seat, Choi called the nominee to return and whispered in Lee’s ear. “You had better not try to fight with me,” Choi was quoted as saying.

Her remark indicated that she felt offended because she believed that the nominee didn’t show respect to the committee’s chair by leaving without bowing.

Since the awkward start to proceedings, the two sides clashed several times, exchanging some barbed comments against each other.

When asked about her opinion regarding the 2017 reshuffle, which ousted then-MBC CEO Kim Jang-kyom, Lee said it was nothing more than political revenge taken by the Moon government. “Mr. Kim was fired because of a news report that aired in 2012 when he the was politics editor. It was very rare that a certain person was dismissed because of an event that happened five years ago. So, I think the 2017 reshuffle was political revenge,” she said.

The nominee’s answer irritated Rep. Choi. Taking advantage of her role as a chairperson, tasked with presiding over the hearing, she interrupted and launched a personal attack against the nominee.

“I have never heard of anything like this. She used the term ‘political revenge’ to describe what happened in MBC in 2017?” the lawmaker said. “The nominee is probably missing a few brain cells.”

Her disrespectful word choice invited furious reactions from the nominee. Lee asked Choi to clarify what she meant by “missing a few brain cells,” demanding Rep. Choi offer an apology. The DPK lawmaker ignored Lee’s repeated requests.

The confirmation hearing was caught in a vicious cycle of Choi’s attacks against the nominee and the her counterattacks against the committee chair.

The hearing’s original goal of examining the professional background and ethics of the nominees to determine their suitability for the job became a minor concern.

The confirmation hearing lacked real impact since the president, who is the appointee, is not bound by the parliament's decision. As a result, skepticism about the effectiveness of the confirmation process has increased.

Despite this drawback, the hearing is still a useful platform to scrutinize Cabinet-level candidates. The confirmation hearing is televised nationally. It helps ordinary citizens better understand nominees and make their own assessments about whether they are prepared for their proposed jobs. This is a crucial factor in shaping public opinion about nominees. In a democratic nation, public opinion plays a significant role. As demonstrated by the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, public sentiment can ultimately determine the success or failure of a politician's career.

When conducted effectively, confirmation hearings can shape public opinion either in favor of or against nominees, depending on the circumstances.

Rep. Choi’s emotional reaction and unprofessional handling of the hearing, however, ruined this process. Her disrespect toward the nominee and emotional reactions led to unnecessary disputes with the KCC chairperson designate. As a result, Rep. Choi squandered a valuable opportunity to assess whether the nominee was fit for the job.

Her reactions were immature, and her choice of words was poor. Choi came across as a bully, targeting the nominee simply out of personal dislike. The DPK lawmaker acted shortsightedly, letting her personal animosity take precedence over the greater good.

She should apologize to the public for the blown opportunity to scrutinize the nominee and promise not to make the same silly mistakes again.