"Discussion on the Need for Comprehensive Reform of the Hearing System"

President Lee Jae-myung mentioned the necessity of reforming the personnel hearing system, stating that "the excessive verification culture questioning even the personal matters of families is causing capable individuals to hesitate about taking office" during a luncheon meeting with the leadership of both ruling and opposition parties.

Woo Sang-ho, Chief of Staff for Political Affairs at the Presidential Office, who attended the meeting on the 22nd, reported in a Yongsan Presidential Office briefing that "President Lee agrees with the statements made by Democratic Party's floor leader Kim Byung-ki, and emphasized the need for a comprehensive improvement of the personnel hearing system."

Earlier, Floor Leader Kim pointed out that "the current personnel hearing law is hindering the recruitment of capable talents for public office," and criticized that "the hearings excessively interfere into personal realms rather than fundamentally assessing qualifications, causing talented individuals to avoid running for positions."

It is reported that President Lee responded immediately, saying, "I completely agree with that statement."

"Let's observe Kim Min-seok's clarification at the hearing"

President Lee has taken a cautious stance regarding the verification on the opposition's claims concerning Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok.

He stated, "The hearing is an opportunity to hear the candidate's position directly," and added, "It is preferable that the judgment about Mr. Kim is made after fully hearing his clarification." This has been interpreted as a line drawn against calls for Mr. Kim's voluntary resignation from some parts of the opposition.

"Let's first agree on the principles of personnel appointments"… President remains silent

Kim Yong-tae, a member of the emergency committee of the People Power Party, who participated in the meeting, proposed, "Let’s establish criteria similar to the five principles for personnel appointments presented by the Moon Jae-in administration, and first agree on the standards for personnel verification between the ruling and opposition parties."

However, it is reported that President Lee did not provide a particular response to this proposal. Given that the ruling and opposition parties have different perceptions regarding the personnel verification method, a considerable amount of time seems necessary before discussions on institutional reform can take place.

This luncheon marked the first official invitation from the President to the leadership of both ruling and opposition parties since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration. The overall atmosphere was soft, but the differences in perceptions surrounding the personnel hearing system and verification procedures remain evident.

Image sources: President Lee Jae-myung / News1, Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok / News1