The ruling and opposition parties agreed Wednesday to vote on Prime Minister-designate Hwang Kyo-ahn this week, paving the way for the confirmation of the new premier who should take charge of the ongoing fight against the MERS virus that has claimed 20 lives.
The vote will be held at a plenary session scheduled for Thursday morning, parliamentary officials said.
After declaring Hwang “unfit” as prime minister in a three-day confirmation hearing last week, the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy had been resisting the ruling Saenuri Party’s efforts to process the confirmation bill through the National Assembly over the nominee’s influence-peddling and draft-dodging allegations.
NPAD’s turnaround came after the Saenuri Party accepted the opposition’s demand for an apology from Hwang over such allegations as well as a reform of the current confirmation hearing system, often criticized for its inefficiency in verifying a nominee’s credentials.
Despite the main opposition party’s giving in, the NPAD has yet to decide whether it would attend the plenary meeting as the ruling party, with its majority, is expected to push ahead with a vote.
NPAD vice floor leader Lee Choon-suk said “I am planning to ask members to attend and voice their opinions.”
Hwang’s confirmation would put an end to the near one-month vacancy of the second-highest government position at a time when the country is struggling to contain Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.
Former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo stepped down last month amid allegations of bribery.
President Park Geun-hye selected Hwang, the sitting justice minister, to fill the position, the only seat in the Cabinet that requires parliamentary approval.
The rival parties also agreed Wednesday to hold a four-day interpellation session of the government starting Friday, one day later than previously scheduled. (Yonhap)
