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The designated seats for Cabinet nominees are seen in the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee chamber in Yeouido, Seoul, on July 13, a day ahead of the start of confirmation hearings. / Source: Yonhap News

A high-stakes week of confirmation hearings for President Lee Jae-myung’s first Cabinet nominees kicks off on July 14, with 16 ministerial candidates set to undergo vetting over the course of five days. As the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the opposition People Power Party (PPP) clash over the process, tensions in the National Assembly are expected to escalate.

On July 13, the National Assembly’s hearing chamber sat prepared for the scrutiny ahead, with signs already pointing to a heated political showdown.

The PPP has singled out Gender Equality Minister nominee Kang Sun-woo and Education Minister nominee Lee Jin-sook as its top targets, promising what it calls a “surgical-level inspection.” Kang faces allegations of workplace abuse, including reportedly instructing aides to fix her toilet and take out her home trash. She is also accused of unusually high staff turnover—replacing 46 of 51 aides over five years. Kang claims these accusations are based on “malicious reports” from disgruntled former staff, arguing that only 28 individuals were actually replaced.

Lee is facing accusations of plagiarizing academic work, misappropriating a student’s thesis, and sending her younger daughter abroad for schooling in violation of regulations. Lee apologized for the early overseas study, saying it "did not meet public expectations."

PPP chief spokesperson Kwak Gyu-taek said, “We will conduct a relentless and thorough investigation on behalf of the people,” criticizing the candidates as “a bundle of allegations—plagiarism, abuse of power, tax evasion, and ideological bias.” He added, “Is this administration about the people, or just the president?”

“The confirmation hearings are meant to expose the full reality of each nominee in front of the people,” he stressed.

The DPK pushed back, accusing the PPP of politicizing the hearings. DPK floor spokesperson Moon Geum-joo said, “The People Power Party is once again fixated on political warfare instead of policy.” He argued the PPP is distorting the process with “subjective claims and partisan framing” rather than focusing on facts.

“Is the PPP using these hearings solely as a tool to sabotage governance?” Moon asked. “If confirmation hearings become just another battleground for partisan conflict, it’s the people who will suffer in the end.”