Political hypocrisy returns in Korea’s cabinet hearings

The cycle of political hypocrisy in confirmation hearings has returned with the new administration. During the first round of hearings for President Lee Jae-myung’s Cabinet nominees on July 14, the opposition People Power Party (PPP) launched a broad attack on five candidates: Kang Sun-woo (Gender Equality and Family), Kwon Oh-eul (Patriots and Veterans Affairs), Lee Jin-sook (Education), Cho Hyun (Foreign Affairs), and Chung Dong-young (Unification). The PPP called them the “unfit five” and argued they were unqualified to even appear before the National Assembly. Each nominee was assigned a disparaging nickname: “bully minister,” “plagiarist,” “coffee minister,” “speculator,” and “split-deal minister.”

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea pushed back, calling the accusations outdated, groundless, and politically motivated. It condemned what it described as reckless character attacks and excessive obstruction of state affairs.

Three years ago, the roles were reversed. In 2022, when the Democratic Party was in opposition, it fiercely criticized nominees appointed by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, saying they should be removed before becoming "malignant tumors." At the time, the PPP, then in power, accused the opposition of using personal attacks to damage the administration. Back then, as now, harsh language filled the hearings, with phrases such as “cancerous growth” and “garbage abuse” dominating the discourse. There was no room for cooperation, only a predictable clash over whether to confirm or reject nominees.

The hearings have also become increasingly theatrical. At one session, PPP lawmaker Lee Dal-hee brought a bag of food waste into the chamber, accusing Gender Equality Minister nominee Kang Sun-woo of mistreating her aides by ordering them to separate food waste from general trash. Kang’s inconsistent explanations fueled further controversy. PPP lawmakers placed placards reading “Bully OUT” on their laptops, while Democratic lawmakers countered with signs that said “Stop Sabotage.” In the midst of this confrontation, Kang’s policy vision as gender minister received little attention.

Presidents have long said the confirmation process makes it difficult to attract qualified candidates. President Lee recently said capable individuals hesitate to serve because their families also face scrutiny. A senior presidential aide added that many potential nominees decline Cabinet posts due to opposition from spouses or children, noting, “Why take the job when life is already good?” Former Presidents Moon Jae-in, Park Geun-hye, and Yoon Suk Yeol have expressed similar concerns.

This time, both parties have introduced proposals to amend the confirmation hearing law, though with starkly different goals. The PPP, accusing the Democratic Party of undermining the process by withholding documents and refusing witnesses, wants to make disclosure mandatory and impose penalties of up to five years in prison or fines of up to 50 million won for false or omitted information. The Democratic Party is proposing a two-track system that separates hearings into public ethics and job competency reviews, aimed at preventing malicious personal attacks.

To end what critics describe as a cycle of collective amnesia that changes with each shift in power, the confirmation system must be reformed. But more urgent than legal fixes is a shift in political attitude. The ruling party, which once demanded accountability in the name of integrity, must now address allegations of bullying, plagiarism, and speculation among its own nominees with at least some sense of responsibility. What matters most is recognizing the expectations of the public.