Let's begin with what's rattling the political scene here in Korea...
Despite the firestorm surrounding President Park's pick for prime minister over controversial remarks he's made over the years,... the presidential office plans to forge ahead with his nomination.
A formal request calling for a confirmation hearing is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly later today.
And as our Ji Myung-kil reports,... lawmakers are likely to make the process unpleasant for the Prime Minister designate.
Prime minister-nominee Moon Chang-keuk's apology for controversial remarks he made years back about Japan's colonization of the Korean peninsula doesn't go far enough for the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, or NPAD.

"Japan's colonization remains the biggest scar for the Korean people. We cannot nominate a prime minister who has a distorted view of history. If the government proceeds with the confirmation hearings, it will be criticized for lacking common sense."

Should the presidential office push ahead with Moon's nomination, some NPAD lawmakers say they would consider boycotting the confirmation hearing in protest.
And the negative views of the prime minister nominee aren't reserved for the opposition party.
Six, first-term lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party have issued statements calling for Moon to withdraw his nomination,... while a number of more experienced lawmakers have openly criticized him.
But, the ruling party's floor leader Lee Wan-koo plans to go ahead with the confirmation process.

"There seem to be suspicions and doubts about the prime minister nominee, but the National Assembly has a duty to proceed with the confirmation hearing and evaluate whether the candidate is suitable."

Once the National Assembly receives a request calling for a confirmation hearing,... which is likely to come Tuesday,... they are required to hold one within 15 days.
Ji Myung-kil, Arirang News.


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