KIM APPOINTED AS NEW PROSECUTOR-GENERAL

[Anchor Lead]

President Moon Jae-in has appointed the new prosecutor-general. The Democratic Party finished the appointment procedure on its own at the National Assembly Judicial Committee meeting. The new prosecutor-general, Kim Oh-soo, is the 33rd ministerial-level official to be appointed by the Moon administration without the opposition parties' consent. This has triggered strong backlash from the People Power Party.

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As the rival parties failed to reach an agreement on the prosecutor-general nominee Kim Oh-soo, the ruling Democratic Party convened a National Assembly Judicial Committee meeting early in the morning and passed the confirmation report on Kim in just three minutes. The party said all the allegations surrounding the new prosecutor-general had been cleared and the People Power Party continues to oppose his nomination without reason. It also referred to how the opposition party also opposed the nomination of former prosecutor-general Yoon Seok-youl.

[Soundbite] Song Young-gil(Democratic Party chairman) : "The PPP did not approve Yoon Seok-youl's confirmation report, either. But now they are welcoming him as the most promising presidential candidate from the opposition camp."

The People Power Party convened a news conference to blast the ruling party for its tyrannical actions in parliament.

[Soundbite] Kim Do-eup(People Power Party) : "By unilaterally adopting the confirmation report on the prosecutor general-designate to protect the Moon administration and deprive prosecutors of their investigative rights, the ruling party disregarded not only us but the people of this country."

The PPP accused the ruling party of deliberately scrapping confirmation hearings on Kim Oh-soo, who, according to the PPP, lacks political neutrality, morality and other credentials. President Moon Jae-in has approved Kim's appointment. Kim is the 33rd ministerial-level official to be appointed by the Moon administration without the opposition parties' consent. Kim's term began on Tuesday. His appointment and inauguration ceremonies will be held one after another at Cheong Wa Dae and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.