To postpone the explanation of the suspicions until the hearing... "If you hang in there for a day, you can pass." You can't

As confirmation hearings approach for President Lee Jae-myung’s 17 cabinet nominees, a series of allegations have surfaced against several of them. Suspicions range from academic misconduct and real estate speculation to illicit donations and conflicts of interest. Yet, many of the nominees have failed to provide clear explanations or supporting evidence, further fueling public concern.

Lee Jin-sook, the nominee for deputy prime minister and education minister, has been accused of plagiarizing her student’s doctoral dissertation. She continues to insist that she passed vetting when appointed president of Chungnam National University. However, two papers she published in 2018 bear a striking resemblance to the design and conclusions of a student’s dissertation published soon after. Moreover, those two papers were published in separate journals just one month apart, violating the ethical standard that an adviser should not publish before their student does. This raises serious concerns, especially for the education minister candidate expected to oversee research integrity in higher education.

Cho Hyun, the nominee for foreign minister, signed a rental contract with Samsung Electronics for a property he owns. His office claims that the deal was related to his son, a company attorney, receiving housing support. However, records show the son was not even registered at the address during that period. Han Seong-sook, nominee for SMEs and Startups Minister, faces allegations of improperly transferring or leasing real estate to her family at little or no cost. Jung Eun-kyeong, the nominee for health and welfare minister, also faces questions over potential conflicts of interest, as her husband reportedly purchased stocks related to hand sanitizer while she led South Korea’s COVID-19 response.

Despite these issues, nominees uniformly insist, “We will explain at the hearing.” However, anyone seeking public office must promptly and transparently clarify any concerns raised. Failing to do so amounts to little more than trying to endure a single day of questioning in hopes of being appointed anyway. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who was confirmed through a National Assembly vote, promised to address allegations of asset accumulation at his hearing but ultimately submitted no documentation.

Unlike the prime minister, cabinet nominees do not require National Assembly approval. Even if opposition parties object, the president can still appoint them. But pushing through appointments without proper explanation undermines the very purpose of confirmation hearings, which are meant to vet candidates for top policymaking roles. The nominees must now take responsibility and explain the allegations sincerely and humbly.