PPP slams Moon for appointing Cabinet members without opposition consent

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Friday slammed President Moon Jae-in for appointing the new prime minister and two other Cabinet members despite opposition objections.

"The Moon Jae-in administration does not budge a bit no matter how hard it is hit by (souring) public opinion. Its DNA of arrogance and self-righteousness has never been cured," PPP floor leader Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon said during an emergency plenary meeting of the party.

PPP staged the meeting in front of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul in a show of protest against Moon's appointment of Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Science Minister Lim Hye-sook and Land Minister Noh Hyeong-ouk earlier in the day.

The National Assembly, dominated by the ruling Democratic Party, passed the confirmation bill on the new prime minister late Thursday, dismissing objections by PPP. Relevant parliamentary committees also adopted confirmation hearing reports on Lim and Noh the same day, clearing the way for Moon to appoint them.

The moves ran into objections by PPP protesting that Kim and Lim are unfit for public office due to alleged ethical lapses involving their families.

The PPP floor leader lambasted the appointment as "disaster and tyranny," claiming that a total of 32 ministerial-level officials have been appointed against the will of the opposition party during Moon's four-year reign so far.

"(The Moon government) is continuing to accelerate a division of the people into your side and our side," the opposition leader said, vowing to fight on behalf of the people.

Two other minister nominees announced in last month's Cabinet reshuffle -- trade minister nominee Moon Sung-wook and labor minister nominee An Kyung-duk -- received parliamentary approval last week.

The emergency party meeting brought together about 90 of its 101 sitting lawmakers despite the scorching early summer weather. 

The party floor leader also conveyed a letter of protest to the president via presidential chief of staff You Young-min and Lee Cheol-hee, senior presidential secretary for political affairs.

The main opposition party, set to elect its new party chairman in a convention on June 11, is expected to step up its campaign against the ruling bloc in the run-up to the presidential election in March 2022.

PPP is likely to take advantage of the latest personnel issue to increase its political leverage as it seeks to take back the coveted chairman seat of the parliamentary Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

At the same time, PPP is planning to beef up engagement with social issues, most notably COVID-19 vaccine procurement and administration, as it seeks to shore up voter confidence, according to party officials. (Yonhap)