Kim Seung-won withdraws as justice minister nominee, citing failure to meet public expectations

Kim Seung-won withdrew Saturday as the nominee for minister of justice, one day after President Lee Jae Myung said at a press conference Friday that he had "not yet reached a final decision" on whether to appoint Kim and would weigh public expectations in making his choice.

Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly's communication center Saturday morning and announced he was stepping down from the nomination. "I am grateful to the president for nominating me, and I am truly sorry for failing to live up to his expectations," he said.

"I made up my mind after watching the president's press conference on Friday," Kim said. "The people's livelihoods and the success of the government come first. I concluded that I should no longer add to the burden of a government that must tend to people's lives and complete its reform agenda."

At his press conference Friday, President Lee said he had "not yet reached a final decision" on the appointment, adding that he would "carefully decide after considering the many issues and criticisms that arose during the public vetting process, the nominee's capabilities, and public expectations."

"I take it seriously that I fell short of public expectations, and I will reflect deeply on my inadequacies," Kim said. "I extend my deepest apologies particularly to people with disabilities and their families, to those who have devoted themselves to caregiving, and to everyone connected to me who may have been hurt by this."

Kim made clear he would continue to pursue the truth regarding the various allegations surrounding him. "Even as I step down now, I will not give up on the truth," he said, adding that he was determined to see through what he called the unfinished reform of the prosecution service.

He also said he would "expose the full picture of the politically motivated investigations by the Yoon Suk Yeol and Han Dong-hoon prosecution, and the illegal leaking and manipulation of investigative secrets by Han Dong-hoon," calling the episode proof of the need for prosecutorial reform.

Kim had faced mounting pressure from opposition lawmakers to withdraw after allegations emerged that he had sought to influence the approval of a clinical trial for a COVID-19 treatment and that a social cooperative led by his spouse had received preferential treatment. Kim repeatedly denied the allegations.

"I will work for the people with an even humbler and more modest attitude, and as a member of the people's sovereignty government I will do my utmost for the success of the Lee Jae Myung administration," he said.