Labor minister nominee says Park Geun-hye impeachment was wrong

Aug 27, 2024, 09:35 am

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Kim Moon-soo, nominee for the new labor minister, speaks during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul on Aug. 26, 2024./ Photographed by Song Eui-joo

AsiaToday reporter Han Dae-eui

Kim Moon-soo, the labor minister nominee, said the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye would be historically reevaluated because it was wrong, during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul.

At Monday’s hearing, Kim reiterated his position consistent with the past remarks regarding the impeachment of former President Park amid attacks from lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). When asked if he still supported ousted former President Park, Kim confirmed that he did and suggested that the court verdicts convicting and removing her on corruption charges would eventually be reassessed.

When DP lawmaker Park Hae-cheol stressed the legitimacy of the impeachment of Park, citing the manipulation of state affairs, abuse of authority, and collusion between politics and business, Kim said, “I can’t agree on that,” adding, “I admit it because it is the decision of the Constitutional Court even though the decision was problematic. However, I cannot say that I agree with every single phrase.”

Regarding his remarks in a rally speech against impeachment that Yoon Suk-yeol put innocent President Park Geun-hye in jail, Kim said, “I had criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol quite a lot at that time.” In response to Rep. Park Hae-cheol’s demand of Kim’s resignation, he said, “I have no intention to resign.”

Earlier, the DP urged Kim to apologize for the victims of “rude remarks” in the past. In response, Kim said, “If you pick a fight with what I had said, there will probably will a lot of problems in my remarks that are not enough to fight all year long. If it’s necessary for the people and the Republic of Korea, you should not only apologize but even give up your life.”

“I promise to work hard with the passion I had when I was an activist. If there are people who have been hurt due to my remarks, I will sincerely apologize and fully accept if they point out my shortcomings,” he said.

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