Justice minister-nominee pledges neutrality

Justice-minister nominee Kwon Jae-jin faced a parliamentary grilling, particularly over whether he would maintain political neutrality in next year’s elections despite his close ties to the president.

“I will by all means defend the prosecution’s political neutrality and independence,” Kwon said at the parliamentary judicial committee’s confirmation hearing on Monday.

“I will make sure that the prosecution is free of all political doubts amid its investigation.”

Kwon, 58, who is also the presidential secretary of civil affairs, further pledged to act as a breakwater against external pressure or political interference.

Opposition lawmakers, however, argued that it is inappropriate to nominate a close aide to the president as justice minister.

“Appointing a presidential aide as justice minister may disturb the prosecution’s political neutrality, especially in the upcoming election-law violation investigations,” said Rep. Kim Hak-jae of the main opposition Democratic Party.

Rep. Yeo Sang-kyu of the ruling Grand National Party dismissed the objections, pointing out that two previous justice ministers were also key presidential aides or ruling party lawmakers.

“I believe that a nominee should not be eliminated for a specific past post, unless he or she is morally or professionally unqualified,” said Kwon in response to the DP lawmakers’ attack.

“The presidential civil affairs secretary and the justice minister posts, in fact, have much in common, as both involve supporting the president.”

The nominee also faced allegations that his two sons were given favors in the course of taking alternative military service, an issue frequently tackled in senior government officials’ hearings.

Kwon’s elder son did his alternative military duty in a state-designated company in Gyeonggi Province, and the younger one in a town office in Seoul.

DP lawmakers charged that the two physically fit young men were given favors to be exempted from regular military service, but GNP members said that no illegalities were found in the processes.

Kwon was appointed last month by President Lee Myung-bak to replace incumbent minister Lee Kwi-nam.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)