Kang Seon-woo, the candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, faced heated debates during her confirmation hearing over the controversy regarding 'instructions to dispose of food waste by staff.'
At the National Assembly confirmation hearing held on the 14th, Candidate Kang was pressed on allegations of abusing her power by having her office staff dispose of her household waste.
Kang stated, "I sincerely apologize for the controversy I caused, and I deeply regret any pain it may have caused my staff." This was her explanation regarding the previously raised allegations of mistreatment towards her staff.
People Power Party member Lee Dal-hee even brought actual food waste to the hearing, questioning Kang, "Have you ever asked your staff to frequently take out the trash from your home?"
In response, Kang explained, "Sometimes when I unpack items for the office, I bring items down, both with and without boxes. I have taken food that I was eating the night before to have for breakfast."
She further asserted, "It was my mistake to leave uneaten food in the car," claiming that the food taken from her home was not 'garbage' but rather 'food for breakfast.'
On a related note, a former staff member of Kang recently revealed that "it was common for them to bring leftover food, such as chicken, and regular trash from her home."
Democratic Party member Kim Han-kyu expressed concern, stating, "Was it true that the staff threw away the box that you brought down while unpacking a delivery? If you had taken everything out of the car when you got out, you might not be facing such criticism now."
Kim continued, "You shouldn't eat in the car; you should have brought down the delivery. Couldn't the cleaning staff have taken care of the trash?"
He also pointed out, "There are no issues like this with the staff of other lawmakers. The public may perceive that Kang lacks compared to other candidates."
Image source: Kang Seon-woo, candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family / News1, People Power Party member Lee Dal-hee / News1
