PPP, minister clash over disclosure of 12th power plan committee members

A clash broke out Tuesday between the opposition People Power Party and Minister of Climate, Environment and Energy Kim Sung-hwan at a National Assembly national audit over whether to disclose the membership list of the committee drafting the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand (2026–2040).

People Power Party lawmaker Lee Cheol-gyu said he had requested the list of committee members for the 12th power plan but received a response that disclosure was difficult because it "could generate unnecessary controversy, including scrutiny of individual members' qualifications." He added that confirming who participates in setting electricity policy is "a duty of the National Assembly."

Kim, a former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, pushed back, saying he did not recall ever receiving the member list for the 11th power plan during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration when he served on the industry committee. "I understand the member list has not been disclosed in the past," he said.

He also remarked, "I wouldn't go so far as to call it lobbying, but … " — a comment widely interpreted as suggesting that releasing the list could expose individual committee members to pressure.

PPP lawmaker Na Kyung-won said the grounds for refusing to submit materials are limited to matters critical to national security, and that the refusal to hand over the power plan membership list was "incomprehensible." "You must have made document requests during national audits yourself," she said.

Kim did not back down. "Then why didn't the Yoon administration submit it either?" he said. "There are reasons for everything."

He added that releasing the names had historically generated "all kinds of contacts and noise," and that while the list was "not a state secret," he would report it "in an appropriate manner if necessary."

The afternoon session turned to allegations of favoritism in appointments to heads of public institutions under the ministry.

Na raised allegations of preferential treatment, saying Ha Dong-geun had been appointed president of Korea District Heating despite finishing last in both the document review and interview stages of the selection process.

"He campaigned against the nomination or election of President Lee Jae Myung and certain other politicians, and he officiated the wedding of Kim Hyun-ji, chief of the first secretariat at Cheong Wa Dae," Na said. "He ranked eighth out of eight in the document review and fifth out of five in the interview — dead last across the board. Why was he the sole nominee?"

Kim said Korea District Heating's role was evolving significantly. "We felt it was necessary to consider not only energy but also a range of environmental and ecological factors," he said.

When Na asked whether Kim had received any outside pressure from Cheong Wa Dae or the president regarding the appointment and whether he would take responsibility, Kim said he had not, drawing a line against the favoritism allegations.