Special committee formed for Han Sung-sook PM confirmation hearing; hearing set for June 25-26

By Joo So-hyun, The Herald Business

The ruling and opposition parties reached a tentative agreement Monday to form a 13-member special committee for the confirmation hearing of prime minister nominee Han Sung-sook, comprising seven members from the Democratic Party of Korea, five from the People Power Party and one from minor parties.

Three-term lawmaker Baek Hye-ryeon of the Democratic Party was tapped to chair the committee. The Democratic Party named two-term Rep. Kim Han-gyu as floor manager, with Reps. Lee So-young, Jeon Yong-gi, Kim Dong-a, Park Gyun-taek and Song Jae-bong serving as members. The People Power Party appointed three-term Rep. Kim Hee-jeong, with Rep. Kang Seung-gyu as floor manager and Reps. Kim Seon-gyo, Jo Jeong-hun and Yoo Young-ha as members.

The hearing is widely expected to be held June 25–26, in line with current law requiring confirmation hearings to be completed within 20 days of the formal request being submitted to the National Assembly and within 15 days of the case being referred to the special committee.

Han was nominated June 7 to succeed Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and the formal confirmation hearing request was submitted to the Assembly on June 10. Under the confirmation hearing law, the process must be completed by June 20.

The Democratic Party expects Han to clear the confirmation process without difficulty, noting that her qualifications were already vetted when she served as minister of SMEs and startups. The People Power Party, however, is expected to press her on controversy surrounding her disposal of multiple properties.

Han currently owns three properties: two houses — a detached home in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and another in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province — and an officetel in Gangnam-gu. Last month, she sold an apartment in Songpa-gu, Seoul that she had held for more than 20 years, reportedly netting a capital gain of nearly 3 billion won (about $1.97 million).