(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on July 15)

Cabinet hearings without witnesses raise concerns over vetting standards

Confirmation hearings for President Lee Jae Myung's first-term Cabinet nominees began this week, but concerns are mounting that the process is becoming a hollow exercise. The ruling Democratic Party's refusal to approve key witnesses has fueled criticism that these are turning into "toothless hearings."

The hearing for Kang Sun-woo, nominee for minister of gender equality and family, exemplified the problem. While one witness appeared, the party blocked a request to summon a former parliamentary aide who has accused Kang of workplace abuse. No witnesses were present at the hearings for Jeong Dong-young (unification), Chun Jae-soo (oceans and fisheries), or Bae Kyung-hoon (science and ICT) held on the same day, drawing comparisons to the widely criticized confirmation hearing for Prime Minister Kim Min Seok earlier this month.

The lack of witness testimony led to insufficient scrutiny. Kang acknowledged "a lack of virtue" and apologized to staff who may have been hurt, but her answers to specific allegations lacked clarity. One former aide claimed Kang regularly made aides dispose of household garbage and once had a staffer fix a toilet. Kang countered that she had only carried a box of supplies from her office. Regarding claims that she left leftover food in her car for aides to clean up, Kang said she had intended to eat it later but forgot to take it with her — an explanation critics called evasive and dismissive.

Further allegations include claims that Kang blocked a former aide from finding new employment and underreported assets. While her spouse reportedly earned more than 3 billion won ($2 million) in five years, their declared wealth remains far lower. People Power Party lawmakers also accused Kang of delaying consent for personal data release, hindering document submission.

The criticism extends beyond Kang. Lee Jin-sook, nominee for deputy prime minister and education minister, faces accusations of plagiarism. According to the "National Academic Integrity Review Panel," 14 of her 147 papers had more than 20 percent content overlap — a widely accepted threshold for plagiarism. The same panel, which previously investigated former first lady Kim Keon Hee, urged Lee to withdraw, calling her authorship claims regarding student theses a new form of academic misconduct.

The Democratic Party, which harshly scrutinized former President Yoon Suk Yeol's nominees while in opposition, risks undermining its credibility by changing standards now that it holds power. Presidential aide Woo Sang-ho said the administration would "assess public opinion after the hearings." But dismissing public concern as political noise could prove a costly mistake.
(END)