Confirmation hearing reports adopted for justice, defense minister nominees

Parliamentary confirmation hearing reports were adopted for Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won and Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul in Seoul on Thursday amid boycotts by the main opposition People Power Party. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea pushed through both reports despite objections over unresolved allegations. The opposition said the issues were not fully addressed, while the DPK said both nominees had explained themselves sufficiently.

The parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee adopted Kim Seung-won’s confirmation hearing report despite a PPP boycott.

PPP Rep. Park Hyeung-soo said none of the allegations raised during the hearing had been resolved.

The national defense committee adopted Kang Shin-chul’s report after PPP lawmakers also boycotted that session.

Published Sep 17, 2026 1:46 pm KST

Updated Sep 17, 2026 3:01 pm KST

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won attends his parliamentary confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Parliamentary confirmation hearing reports were adopted for the justice and defense minister nominees Thursday amid objections from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).

The parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee adopted a confirmation hearing report for Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won as the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) forged ahead despite PPP lawmakers' boycott, protesting that allegations surrounding Kim were not fully addressed.

"None of the allegations raised during the hearing have been resolved," PPP Rep. Park Hyeung-soo said before walking out of the session.

The DPK argued that the nominee sufficiently explained himself during Tuesday's confirmation hearing, including claims that he illegally lobbied the food and drug safety ministry to speed up approval for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021 at a broker's request.

Kim, a two-term lawmaker, served as a judge at the Jeonju District Court and the Suwon District Court before joining the presidential office under the liberal Moon Jae-in administration, where he worked in the office of political affairs.

He was elected to the 21st National Assembly in 2020 and later served as the DPK's legal affairs committee chief. He also played a key role in passing the revision to the Criminal Procedure Act as a ranking member of the legislation committee.

The parliamentary national defense committee separately adopted a confirmation hearing report for Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul, also amid a boycott by PPP lawmakers.

Rep. Kim Byung-joo, the DPK's senior committee member, said Kang demonstrated a strong commitment to various reform tasks pushed by the Lee Jae Myung administration during his confirmation hearing, including the transfer of wartime operational control from the United States and the integration of military academies of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Kang also appeared fit to manage the Korea-U.S. alliance as a former deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command and showed a strong understanding of policy issues, the lawmaker said.

Rep. Lim Jong-deuk, the PPP's senior committee member, however, disputed the nominee's fitness to serve, citing his failure to properly address suspicions surrounding his son's purchase of commercial property.

Lim also took issue with the DP's refusal to call witnesses to Kang's confirmation hearing.

周四，在主要反对党国民力量党的抵制下，国会通过了法务部长官提名人金承元和国防部长提名人姜信哲的任命确认听证报告。尽管存在未决指控，执政的共同民主党仍强行通过了这两份报告。反对党称这些问题没有得到充分解决，而共同民主党则表示两位提名人已就自身情况作出了充分解释。

尽管人民进步党抵制，国会立法和司法委员会还是通过了金承元的确认听证报告。

人民进步党议员朴亨洙表示，听证会上提出的所有指控均未得到解决。

在人民进步党议员抵制该次会议后，国防委员会采纳了姜信哲的报告。

发布于2026年9月17日下午1:46（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月17日下午3:01（韩国标准时间）

周二，韩国法务部长官提名人金承元出席在首尔国会举行的国会任命听证会。（韩联社）

周四，议会通过了司法部长和国防部长提名人的确认听证会报告，尽管主要反对党人民力量党（PPP）表示反对。

尽管人民进步党议员抵制，抗议有关金承元的指控没有得到充分解决，但执政的共同民主党仍坚持推进司法部长提名人金承元的确认听证报告。

“听证会上提出的所有指控都没有得到解决，”人民进步党议员朴亨洙在离开会场前说道。

朝鲜民主主义人民党认为，该候选人在周二的确认听证会上已充分解释了自己的行为，包括他被指控应中间人的要求，非法游说食品药品安全部加快批准2021年新冠肺炎治疗药物。

金某曾任两届国会议员，在加入文在寅总统府之前，曾担任全州地方法院和水原地方法院的法官，并在文在寅政府时期进入总统府，在政治事务办公室工作。

他于2020年当选为第21届国会议员，之后担任民主党法律事务委员会主任。作为立法委员会资深成员，他还在《刑事诉讼法》修订案的通过过程中发挥了关键作用。

在人民进步党议员抵制的情况下，国会国防委员会另行通过了国防部长提名人姜新哲的确认听证报告。

朝鲜民主主义人民党资深委员金炳柱表示，康在确认听证会上表现出对李在明政府推动的各项改革任务的坚定承诺，包括将战时作战指挥权从美国移交以及整合陆军、海军和空军军事院校。

这位议员表示，康某曾担任韩美联合司令部副司令，似乎也适合管理韩美同盟，并且对政策问题表现出深刻的理解。

然而，人民进步党资深委员会成员林钟德议员对被提名人的任职资格提出质疑，理由是他未能妥善处理有关其子购买商业地产的疑点。

林冠英还对民主党拒绝传唤证人参加姜孝林的确认听证会表示不满。