▲ Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo heads to his office in Seoul on May 20, 2022. (Yonhap)

Assembly-PM nominee

National Assembly to vote on PM nominee Han

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly was set to vote on Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo on Friday amid uncertainties over whether the main opposition Democratic Party commanding a majority in the Assembly will endorse or reject the nomination.

A plenary session was set for 6 p.m., and the DP has the ultimate say on whether to confirm Han as the country's No. 2 official, as it holds 167 seats in the 300-seat National Assembly. The ruling People Power Party (PPP), meanwhile, has 109 seats.

In South Korea, the prime minister is the only Cabinet post that requires parliamentary approval.

The DP has been mulling for weeks on whether to approve Han, with hardliners insisting the party should veto the nomination, because Yoon showed no willingness to cooperate with the opposition, as seen by the appointment of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon.

Despite the DP's strong objections, Yoon pressed ahead and appointed the justice minister Tuesday.

The DP's confirmation hearing committee has declared Han as "unqualified," citing his post-retirement career at a law firm and other suspected irregularities.

But others in the DP claimed the party should endorse Han, since the rejection could backfire and undermine the DP's chances in the upcoming local elections, with criticism that the party is hindering the operation of the new government from the start.

Han is seeking to serve in the country's No. 2 job for the second time. The 72-year-old already served as the prime minister during the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration in 2007 and 2008.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]