[News Today] Budget minister nominee hearing stalled

[LEAD]
The confirmation hearing for Planning and Budget Minister nominee Lee Hye-hoon, mired in multiple allegations, collapsed before it even began.

Rival parties clashed throughout the session over what they called insufficient submission of materials.

The nominee was unable to enter the hearing room, with the standoff continuing into today.

[REPORT]
A plenary session of a parliamentary committee was set to hold a confirmation hearing for Planning and Budget Minister nominee Lee Hye-hoon.

But with the nominee not present, rival parties engaged in a war of nerves.

Kim Young-jin / Democratic Party
Confirmation hearing should open after the nominee is seated.

Lim Lee-ja / People Power Party
We are doing that now.

The ruling party called for holding the hearing from the public's perspective to thoroughly vet the nominee.

Park Hong-keun / Democratic Party
What kind of committee operation is this.
I'm suggesting we thoroughly quiz the nominee and verify her answers.

Lee So-young / Democratic Party
What are we doing here.
We are depriving the public's right to make a judgment.

But the opposition urged her resignation, citing insufficient submission of materials.

Chun Ha-ram / Reform Party
For thorough vetting, sincere submission of materials is a given.
But she is trying to gloss over this process and make do for one day.

Park Dae-chul / People Power Party
Have you ever seen 104 news articles published ahead of a hearing.
She should have stepped down when bullying allegations surfaced.

Amid the never-ending feud, the session was suspended after 90 minutes and did not resume.

Lee, who waited on standby at parliament all day, insisted that she presented all available materials and reiterated her determination to attend the hearing.

Lee Hye-hoon / Planning and Budget Minister nominee
I submitted everything.
But state agencies did not have records from 30 or 40 years ago requested by lawmakers.

The People Power Party says it needs two days to analyze additional materials submitted.

If the hearing process ultimately falls through, the decision to appoint the nominee returns to the president’s authority.

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