Controversial appointments raise questions about President Lee’s personnel standards
![Kang Sun-woo, nominee for minister of gender equality and family, responds to parliamentary questioning at her confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 14. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/07/22/1960acc3-84b8-4d00-a3db-0e778d9a26b0.jpg)
Kang Sun-woo, nominee for minister of gender equality and family, responds to parliamentary questioning at her confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 14. [NEWS1]
President Lee Jae Myung’s decision to withdraw the nomination of Lee Jin-sook as deputy prime minister and education minister marked a rare reversal. Yet his apparent determination to proceed with appointing Kang Sun-woo as minister of gender equality and family, despite allegations of mistreatment of aides, is drawing mounting criticism.
The opposition has denounced the move as a "declaration of war against public common sense," and such criticism may be well-founded. President Lee has long championed the principle of eokgangbuyak — to restrain the powerful and uplift the weak. The Democratic Party has similarly branded itself as a defender of the vulnerable. Nominating a figure accused of workplace abuse to lead a ministry tasked with protecting marginalized groups undermines those principles.
Woo Sang-ho, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, said the ruling party's leadership had found “no disqualifying factors,” which heavily influenced the president’s decision. But critics argue this signals partisan protectionism — political allies shielding one another. Such behavior recalls controversial appointments under former President Yoon Suk Yeol and raises questions about whether anything has really changed.
Allegations against Kang go beyond abuse of aides. According to accounts shared by former Minister of Gender Equality and Family Chung Young-ai, Kang — then a member of the National Assembly’s gender equality committee — reportedly berated her over a failed attempt to open a Sunflower Center in Kang’s district. When staffing obstacles prevented its launch, Kang allegedly snapped, “Just do as you're told. Why all the questions?” Chung also claimed that Kang retaliated by slashing the ministry’s budget, which she later restored only after a personal apology.
If true, such behavior suggests a pattern of mistreatment unbecoming of a minister tasked with protecting vulnerable populations.
Other appointments have added to concerns over the Lee administration’s personnel standards. Former lawmaker Kim Eui-kyeom, who once faced accusations of speculative real estate purchases, was recently named head of the Saemangeum Development Authority, a vice-ministerial post. Kim is also known for promoting the debunked claim that then-President Yoon Suk Yeol had late-night drinks with lawyers from a major firm.
The new head of the Ministry of Personnel Management, Choi Dong-seok, has drawn similar scrutiny. Choi previously described President Lee as “a man sent by heaven” and asserted that personnel appointments should prioritize ideological alignment. Such remarks invite criticism that loyalty and political compatibility, not merit, are driving hiring decisions.
Power that ignores public sentiment rarely escapes consequences. The Yoon administration learned this the hard way. President Lee’s approval rating recently fell for the first time since taking office, dropping 2.4 percentage points in a Realmeter poll. Mounting controversy over cabinet nominations was cited as a key factor.
If President Lee wants to maintain public trust, he must reconsider Kang’s nomination. A government that claims to represent the people must show that it takes their concerns seriously. Assuming that the public will continue to offer blind support is not confidence — it is hubris.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
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