On the 26th, the second day of the confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Han Seong-sook, ruling and opposition parties clashed over the appropriateness of the candidate’s leasing and sale of an officetel.

The opposition People Power Party (PPP) raised allegations of "indirect gifting," claiming that the nominee had leased and sold the officetel at a low price to the owner of a beauty salon in Cheongdam-dong. Meanwhile, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) dismissed the PPP's claims as mere speculation and defended the nominee.

PPP lawmaker Kim Hee-jung stated, "You sold the officetel to the salon owner at a bargain price. What kind of acquaintance are you to provide such special treatment, which is hard to offer even between siblings? Is this not an indirect gift?" She added, "I am curious as to what kind of relationship you have with this person that warranted such quid pro quo special treatment."

Rep. Kim further remarked, "I looked into the background of that salon owner and found that she served as the personal hairdresser for First Lady Kwon Yang-sook (wife of former President Roh Moo-hyun). When I asked if she had served other First Ladies, she stopped responding to contact."

Lawmaker Kang Seung-kyu of the same party argued, "If it is someone who styled the hair of a former First Lady, it is reasonable to suspect that a connection could have been formed with nominee Han, a businesswoman, and that the low rent could be a reciprocal favor."

In response, DPK lawmaker Lee So-young retorted, "The level of this hearing is embarrassing," adding, "It is a good thing for a landlord to sell a property to the tenant who is already leasing it. What is the problem here?"

She continued, "Must we know who a tenant used to style for when leasing an officetel?" and asked, "Are we wasting the time of this confirmation hearing with such leaps in logic and groundless speculation that even an elementary school student wouldn't make?"

She added, "While vetting a Prime Minister nominee, you are asking whether she knows that the tenant styled the hair of a First Lady 20 years ago, without any basis," urging members to "maintain dignity and raise the level of discourse as National Assembly members and confirmation hearing committee members."

Chairperson Baek Hye-ryun (DPK) pointed out, "Rep. Kim Hee-jung's line of questioning could easily be perceived as implying there is some sort of transaction with a First Lady," and stated, "I hope the questioning does not continue in this manner."

During this exchange, PPP lawmakers protested loudly, saying, "Watch your language," and "What do you mean by 'elementary school level'?" while ruling party lawmakers retorted, "Stop it. Why do you keep bringing up a woman living alone?" and "You shouldn't fabricate allegations that don't exist."

Nominee Han replied, "The committee member needs to clearly state exactly what was gifted and what special treatment was received," adding, "The talk about the beauty salon is far too sensational."

Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties offered conflicting evaluations of Han's qualifications to be Prime Minister.

DPK lawmaker Park Sun-won said, "People say a coach-turned-manager like Hiddink is better than a player-turned-manager like Hong Myung-bo," adding, "The President selected the nominee because she is a 'Hiddink'—not your typical bureaucrat or professor. I hope you will be like Hiddink."

PPP lawmaker Cho Kyung-ho pointed out, "It is doubtful whether the Han Seong-sook who was CEO of Naver in 2020 and the Prime Minister nominee Han Seong-sook in 2026 are the same person, as she says different things about the same issues," noting that "in 2020, she was at the forefront of protecting the freedom of large corporate platforms, which were the powerful players."

After two days of hearings, the ruling and opposition parties plan to continue discussions on the adoption of the confirmation hearing report, but reaching an agreement is expected to be difficult.

PPP lawmaker Kang Seung-kyu stated, "Looking at the transactions between family members and the payment of gift taxes, she appears to lack a public mindset," and added, "Based on what has emerged during the hearing, one can only conclude that she is preoccupied with serving the President's interests rather than the public's. As a candidate for Prime Minister who should be dedicated to the public's interests, I deem her unfit."

Chairperson Baek Hye-ryun requested, "Although the deadline for submitting the report is the 29th, the parties have not yet reached an agreement," adding, "I hope the report can be adopted by including both the 'unfit' and 'fit' opinions. Please consult between the ruling and opposition party secretaries."

The second day of the confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Han Seong-sook [Yonhap News]