DP unilaterally adopts confirmation report on top prosecutor

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Monday unilaterally adopted a parliamentary confirmation report on the top prosecutor nominee despite protest from opposition lawmakers.

The parliamentary Legislation and Judiciary Committee, where DP lawmakers command a majority, adopted the report on the result of the confirmation hearing on Prosecutor General nominee Kim Oh-soo, held last Wednesday.

The committee session was, however, boycotted by lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) protesting that Kim is unfit for the top prosecutor post.

PPP lawmakers argued during Kim's confirmation hearing last week that the nominee, who served as deputy justice minister under the current Moon Jae-in administration, lacked the political neutrality needed for the prosecutor general seat.

Kim also faced allegations that he was assigned as a lawyer to defend individuals behind massive investment fraud cases involving asset management firms, Lime and Optimus, after retiring from the prosecution service. Kim denied the allegations during the confirmation hearing.

As bipartisan wrangling was delaying the adoption of the confirmation report last week, President Moon again asked lawmakers to forward the report by Monday.

Kim was named by Moon to fill the vacancy left by former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. The seat has been vacant for two months since Yoon stepped down in March amid a sustained political tug-of-war between the justice ministry and the prosecution service.

PPP spokesman An Byung-gil protested that "the adoption (of the confirmation report) without consent from the opposition party constitutes dismissing (the opinion of) the people."

Kim, if finally appointed, will be the 33rd ministerial-level government official to take office without consent from the opposition bloc under the Moon government. (Yonhap)