Kim Min-seok, the Prime Minister nominee, had an unexpected meeting with Rep. Na Kyung-won, who is staging a sit-in protest demanding his resignation from the nominee position.
The meeting between the two, who are both from Seoul National University's Class of '82, attracted attention in the political arena.
Rep. Na has been on a sit-in protest for four days in the National Assembly's Rotunda Hall since the 27th, demanding the withdrawal of Kim's nomination and the allocation of the National Assembly's Judiciary Committee chair position to the opposition.
On the afternoon of the 30th, around 2 PM, Kim visited the National Assembly and spotted Rep. Na, who was protesting in the Rotunda Hall. He approached her and first greeted her by saying, "You're not on a hunger strike, are you?"
Kim also shook hands with not only Rep. Na but also fellow People Power Party members Park Chung-kwon, Kim Mi-ae, and Kim Min-jeon, expressing his appreciation by saying, "You all are doing a great job."
When Rep. Na asked, "What brings you here?" Kim replied, "I came to the National Assembly. Keep up the good work."
As Kim advised, "Don't go on a hunger strike," Rep. Na responded sharply, "Why would I go on a hunger strike?"
Controversy over Submission of Confirmation Hearing Materials
During the brief meeting, a back-and-forth regarding the submission of materials for the confirmation hearing also took place.
When Rep. Na demanded, "Please submit the materials," Kim countered, "I submitted all the materials, but you didn't look at them before coming in," adding that he was willing to provide the rest of the materials if Rep. Joo Jin-woo apologized.
Rep. Na pointed out, "You didn’t submit the gift tax documents," to which Kim retorted, "(Democratic Party members) viewed them but (the People Power Party) didn't see them, so you just took everything away," and added, "You should have come into the (confirmation hearing room)."
Afterward, Kim concluded the encounter by saying, "Anyway, you all have worked hard," before leaving.
Previously, the confirmation hearing for Kim, held from the 24th to the 25th of last month, failed to adopt the report on the progress of the appointment amid intense conflict between the ruling and opposition parties.
It is reported that the Democratic Party plans to handle the confirmation proposal for Kim in a solo effort during the National Assembly's plenary session on the 3rd.
Image Source: Kim Min-seok, the Prime Minister nominee (far left), talks with Rep. Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party (fourth from left), who is on a sit-in protest at the National Assembly's Rotunda Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 30th. / News1 (provided by readers), Rep. Na Kyung-won is holding a press conference on the fourth day of her sit-in protest demanding the withdrawal of Kim Min-seok's nomination and the return of the Judiciary Committee chair position in front of the National Assembly's Rotunda Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 30th. From right to left: Rep. Kim Min-jeon, Rep. Na, and Rep. Park Chung-kwon. 2025.6.30 / News1, Kim Min-seok, Prime Minister nominee / News1
