Confirmation chaos continues

[Anchor]

The confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties continued during the confirmation hearings for Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon and Minister of Oceans and Fisheries nominee Jun Jae-soo.

In particular, the confirmation hearing for the Minister of Science and ICT nominee was disrupted all morning as members of the People Power Party held up placards.

Reporter Park Young-min has the details.

[Report]

[Choi Min-hee/Chairperson of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee/Democratic Party: "I declare the meeting adjourned."]

The confirmation hearing for Minister of Science and ICT nominee Bae Kyung-hoon was disrupted before it even began.

The incident started with a 'laptop placard.'

Members of the People Power Party protested against the ruling party's handling of the three broadcasting laws.

[Choi Hyung-du/Minority Party Secretary of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee/People Power Party: "Your unilateral push has been..."]

Democratic Party members countered that it was an obstruction of the hearing.

[Kim Hyun/Majority Party Secretary of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee/Democratic Party: "I can't concentrate because of that writing. That's how I feel."]

Ultimately, the chairperson instructed the National Assembly security personnel to remove the placards.

[Choi Min-hee/Chairperson of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee/Democratic Party: "I will exercise the right to maintain order."]

The meeting was suspended once again.

[Park Choong-kwon/Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee Member/People Power Party: "This is the dictatorship of the large ruling party."]

The hearing finally began three hours later than scheduled.

Nominee Bae emphasized his commitment to fostering the artificial intelligence industry.

[Bae Kyung-hoon/Minister of Science and ICT nominee: "We will mobilize national capabilities to build an AI ecosystem..."]

During Jun Jae-soo's confirmation hearing, the issue of relocating the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan became a point of contention.

[Kang Myoung-gu/Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee Member/People Power Party: "Aren't you using that as an achievement to run for mayor of Busan...?"]

[Lee Byeong-jin/Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee Member/Democratic Party: "The relocation could serve as momentum for developing marine industries centered in Busan."]

Nominee Jun denied the rumors of running for mayor.

[Jun Jae-soo/Minister of Oceans and Fisheries nominee: "There’s already a mountain of work to be done."]

On the first day of this "confirmation hearing super week," the People Power Party labeled nominees Kang Sun-woo, Lee Jin-sook, and Chung Dong-young as part of the "unqualified five" and called for their voluntary resignation.

[Song Eon-seog/Chairman of the People Power Party's Emergency Committee and Floor Leader: "Creating a meaningless hearing without document submissions or witness selections, thinking that they can just endure for a day..."]

The Democratic Party once again warned the opposition to stop obstructing state affairs.

[Kim Byung-kee/Acting Leader of the Democratic Party and Floor Leader: "We will respond firmly to reckless personal attacks and slander, and excessive obstruction of state affairs."]

Meanwhile, Woo Sang-ho, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, stated regarding the possibility of some nominees being dropped, "We plan to comprehensively review public opinion after the hearings are over."

On the second day of confirmation hearing super week (7.15), hearings will be held for the nominees for Ministers of Defense, Environment, Veterans Affairs, SMEs and Startups, as well as the Commissioner of the National Tax Service.

This is KBS News, Park Young-min.