National Assembly agrees to hold confirmation hearing for minister of planning and budget nominee

The National Assembly tentatively agreed to hold a confirmation hearing for Lee Hye-hoon, the nominee for minister of planning and budget, on Jan. 19.

Lee Hye-hoon, the nominee to lead the newly established Ministry of Planning and Budget, center, arrives at her confirmation hearing preparation office at the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation in Jung District, central Seoul, on Jan. 8. [NEWS1]

The National Assembly tentatively agreed to hold a confirmation hearing for Lee Hye-hoon, the nominee for minister of planning and budget, on Jan. 19.

Rep. Jung Tae-ho of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), who serves as the DP’s secretary on the National Assembly's Strategy and Finance Committee, said on Thursday that an agreement was reached with Rep. Park Soo-young of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).

Regarding the PPP’s initial request for a two-day hearing, Rep. Jung said, “We agreed to hold it for just one day,” adding that both sides had vowed to ensure there would be enough time for questioning.

The PPP had previously insisted on a two-day hearing, citing various allegations surrounding the nominee, including workplace abuse involving an intern while Lee served as a lawmaker and suspicions that her husband engaged in real estate speculation in 2000. Lee also faced backlash for past remarks that showed support for former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law bid on Dec. 3, 2024.

The DP, on the other hand, maintained its position that a single day would suffice.

According to the DP, it will decide whether Lee’s suitability for the position is “in line with public expectations after the confirmation hearing.”

With the tentative agreement between the parties' secretaries, the committee is expected to adopt the confirmation hearing plan at a general meeting on Monday.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]