1. Introduction to the text
This reading lesson provides an overview of the ongoing political controversy surrounding the nomination of Kim Min-seok as the candidate for Prime Minister. The lesson covers the key points of the dispute between the ruling and opposition parties regarding the confirmation hearing process and the allegations against the nominee.
2. Vocabulary
| Korean Word | Romanization | English Meaning | Contextual Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 의혹 | uirok | allegation, suspicion | The opposition party claims that Kim Min-seok is an “allegation package”. |
| 공방 | gongbang | heated debate, argument | The political debate over the Kim Min-seok nomination has intensified. |
| 청문회 | cheongmunhoe | confirmation hearing | The confirmation hearing for Kim Min-seok as Prime Minister nominee will be held next week. |
| 증인 | jeunghin | witness | The ruling and opposition parties failed to agree on the witnesses for the confirmation hearing. |
| 참고인 | chamgogin | reference person | The confirmation hearing will be held without any witnesses or reference persons. |
| 지명 | jimyeong | nomination | The opposition party demanded that Kim Min-seok’s nomination be immediately withdrawn. |
| 대북관 | daebukgwan | view on North Korea | The opposition party said there are unresolved allegations regarding Kim Min-seok’s views on North Korea. |
| 공약 | gongyang | campaign promise | The ruling party spokesperson said the president’s core campaign promises were not properly analyzed for Kim Min-seok. |
3. The main text in both Korean and English
다음 주에 열릴 김민석 국무총리 후보자 인사청문회를 앞두고 정치권 공방이 격화하고 있습니다. 여야가 청문회 증인 채택을 놓고 이견을 좁히지 못하면서 결국 증인과 참고인이 없는 청문회가 열리게 됐습니다.
The political debate over the confirmation hearing for Kim Min-seok as the Prime Minister nominee has intensified. The ruling and opposition parties failed to reach an agreement on the witnesses for the confirmation hearing, leading to a hearing being held without any witnesses or reference persons.
국민의힘은 규탄대회도 열고 김민석 후보자가 ‘의혹 종합선물세트’라며 지명을 즉각 철회하라고 목소리를 높였습니다. 여당은 국민의힘이 일방적으로 회의를 취소했다며 비판했고, 야당은 후보자의 대북관에 해소되지 않은 의혹이 있다고 맞섰습니다.
The opposition party held a protest rally and strongly demanded that Kim Min-seok’s nomination be immediately withdrawn, describing him as a “package of allegations”. The ruling party criticized the opposition for unilaterally canceling the meeting, while the opposition countered that there are unresolved allegations regarding the nominee’s views on North Korea.
조승래 대변인은 “대통령 핵심 공약 내용이 제대로 분석되지 않았고, 공약 절차의 이행이라는 형식적 요건도 갖추지 않고 있다”고 설명했습니다.
The ruling party spokesperson, Cho Seung-rae, explained that the core campaign promises of the President were not properly analyzed, and the formal requirements for implementing the promises were not met for Kim Min-seok.
4. Reading comprehension questions
- What is the main issue surrounding the confirmation hearing for Kim Min-seok as the Prime Minister nominee?
- How have the ruling and opposition parties responded to the allegations against Kim Min-seok?
- What specific concerns did the opposition party raise about Kim Min-seok’s nomination?
- Why did the ruling party criticize the opposition party’s actions regarding the confirmation hearing?
- What did the ruling party spokesperson say about the analysis of the President’s campaign promises for Kim Min-seok?
5. Cultural and historical notes
The confirmation hearing process for high-level government appointments, such as the Prime Minister, is an important part of the checks and balances in the Korean political system. The ongoing debate between the ruling and opposition parties reflects the polarized nature of Korean politics, where partisan interests often take precedence over objective evaluation of nominees. The controversy surrounding Kim Min-seok’s nomination highlights the challenges of achieving consensus and transparency in the confirmation process.