Cheong Wa Dae bets on PM confirmation

Prime Minister nominee Hwang Kyo-ahn answers questions from reporters in front of his temporary office in Tongui-dong, Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

Cheong Wa Dae is making an all-out effort to ensure prime minister-designate Hwang Kyo-ahn passes an upcoming parliamentary confirmation hearing, as the opposition is set to grill the former justice minister.

Hwang, named Thursday to take the place of Lee Wan-koo, began his preparations Sunday.

The request by the presidential office to the National Assembly for a hearing will likely be sent today.

Presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook confirmed the plan so Hwang’s confirmation will be completed before President Park Geun-hye embarks on her visit to the United States in mid-June.

Parliament is required to complete confirmation hearings within 15 days after a request is made and submit the result to the National Assembly speaker for a vote within three days after they are finished.

Given the President’s full schedule, even a day’s delay may lead to Park going on her U.S. trip without a No. 2 left in charge.

During Park’s trip to four South American countries last month, the former Prime Minister Lee, immersed in a bribery scandal, resigned and was replaced by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan.

Choo Kyung-ho, policy coordinating minister at the prime minister’s office, heads the team preparing for the confirmation hearing ― an unusual scenario because Choo is a minister-level figure and lower-ranking government officials had assumed the job previously.

Soon after Hwang’s nomination, the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) criticized the choice, saying he should have been dismissed from his post as justice minister for his unfair handling of a recent corruption probe involving some of President Park’s close aides.

In anticipation of a torrent of tough questions from the NPAD, Hwang is also gearing up for the confirmation hearing, adding two chief prosecutors to his preparation team who previously assisted Hwang in his hearing for justice minister in 2013.

”As Hwang’s documents for the hearing are likely to focus on the nominee’s career as justice minister and as a prosecutor, the two chief prosecutors will handle them,” a ministry official said.

Cheong Wa Dae hopes that the opposition will not focus on slandering the nominee in an attempt to force him to quit.

”The opposition party will go all-out in the verification, but it will not be easy to skip a plenary session for a vote. Should the President go overseas without a premier in place, it may pose a burden for the opposition, as well,” said a Cheong Wa Dae official.