Parties collide over fair trade chief

FM nominee gets flood of support

By Choi Ha-young

Kim Sang-jo

Kim Yi-su

Kang Kyung-wha

The ruling and opposition parties clashed Wednesday over President Moon Jae-in’s appointment of Kim Sang-jo as chief of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) the previous day although he had been rejected by opposition parties.

Opposition parties harshly criticized Moon for ignoring their calls — some lawmakers even alleged that he has taken the path of a dictator. However, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) defended the President and Kim, urging the opposition to engage in constructive dialogue for the good of the country instead of “opposing all for the sake of opposition.”

The situation may worsen further amid speculation Moon may also appoint Kang Kyung-wha as foreign minister and Kim Yi-su as Constitutional Court president, of whom were also rejected by the opposition parties.

The People’s Party, which will have a deciding vote in the 299-seat National Assembly if conservative opposition parties stick to their anti-Moon stance, stepped up its political offensives against Moon and the DPK. The DPK holds 120 seats and the People’s Party has 40 seats.

“If the President also pushes ahead with the appointment of Foreign Minister nominee Kang, we will conclude Moon is scrapping cooperation with the opposition bloc,” interim party leader Park Joo-sun said, Wednesday. “In this case, I clearly state the People’s Party cannot go along with Cheong Wa Dae and the DPK.”

Since the opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) is boycotting all inter-party dialogue as well as cooperation with Cheong Wa Dae, Moon’s reform agenda cannot pass without the cooperation of the People’s Party.

However, the People’s Party may face a dilemma, Yongin University professor Choi Chang-ryul said.

“The popularity of the People’s Party will not rebound if it disapproves of Moon’s personnel appointments. It would be difficult for the party to boycott Kim Yi-su, even if Moon pushes ahead with Kang’s appointment,” Choi said.

According to a Realmeter poll, 62.1 percent of respondents said they support Kang, while 30.4 percent said they are against the appointment.

President Moon is backed by an approximate 80 percent popularity rating, heaviest in the Jeolla region, the stronghold of the People’s Party. According to a Realmeter survey released Monday, 92.3 percent of Jeolla residents support Moon. The poll also showed the People’s Party gained a meager 7.3 percent of support, compared to 54.2 percent for the DPK.

“It would be better for the People’s Party to join hands with Moon, since his reformist drive is largely backed,” Choi said.

Kang Kyung-wha, the foreign minister nominee, answers a question during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, June 7. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Particularly, the opposition parties’ rejection of Kang could backfire. On Wednesday, human rights experts involved with the United Nations threw their support behind her.

“She is the right one to resolve ongoing diplomatic challenges of Korea — poverty, inequality, climate change, human rights, gender and disasters, beyond the traditional boundary of security and trade,” the statement reads.

The statement was signed by nine figures across the ideological spectrum — Lawyer Lee Seok-tae, fact finder of the ferry Sewol disaster; Ambassador Lee Jung-hoon who focuses on North Korean human rights; Professor Shin Hye-soo, longtime campaigner for sex slavery issues; and special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Lee Yang-hee, who formerly worked with conservative President Park Geun-hye.

“Korea needs to promote human rights in a comprehensive manner, outside of the politicized approaches toward North Korean human rights and the comfort women issue. Kang is the best person for this job,” veteran human rights activist Park Kyung-seo told The Korea Times.

Earlier, 63 staff members from 13 U.N. organizations, 10 former foreign ministers and 130 international aid groups announced their support for Kang, as did sex slavery survivors, women’s rights groups and the union of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who once challenged the presidency against Moon, also endorsed her, Monday.