In response to the investigation into Kim Min-seok, the candidate for prime minister, South Korea says, ”We can give a full explanation at the hearing.”

On the 19th, the Presidential Office stated that in response to the People's Power Party's offensive against Prime Minister candidate Kim Min-Seok, highlighting allegations of financial transactions, "there are cases that can be fully explained during the hearing process.
A presidential office official told reporters on the same day, "The confirmation hearing for a prime ministerial candidate is the sole prerogative of the National Assembly, and we are carefully examining various issues."
"We are keeping a close eye on the matter," he said. He added, "We are just going to watch the hearing process." The People's Power Party has previously punished Kim for violating the political funding law.
It is suspected that he continued to make questionable financial transactions with Mr. Kang, who was the donor of the illegal funds. In addition, over the past five years, candidate Kim's expenditures have matched his annual salary as a member of the National Assembly.
However, the presidential office said that the matter that the people's power is questioning is in the area of "private debt," and that this is a serious disqualification for a public official.
Prior to this, President Lee Jae-myung also held an impromptu press conference on board a private plane when he departed for the G7 summit on the 16th.
Regarding the allegations against Kim, he said, “I believe I will be able to fully explain them during the hearing process.” The National Assembly personnel hearing for Kim is scheduled to be held on the 24th and 25th.
Meanwhile, when asked whether the Cabinet lineup would be announced after Kim's approval, a presidential office official said, "The Cabinet will be announced after the verification is completed.
"We plan to make an announcement whenever it is possible," the official said. "If there is a Cabinet to be announced after candidate Kim is approved, we plan to propose it to the prime minister after it is finalized."
"We plan to ask Acting Prime Minister Lee Juho to exercise his right of proposal before then. The announcement of the Cabinet members won't be delayed too long," he added.