Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok is set to undergo the second and final day of confirmation hearings at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
During the first day of hearings Tuesday, the main opposition People Power Party grilled the nominee over the source of his income amid large differences between his reported wealth and spending, as well as allegations surrounding his son's college admissions and his own studies at China's Tsinghua University.
The ruling Democratic Party defended the nominee while highlighting his professional aptitude to serve in the No. 2 government role.
The prime minister is the only Cabinet position that requires parliamentary consent for appointment. Other minister nominees undergo the confirmation process, but consent is not necessary for their appointment by the president.
The PPP is unlikely to agree to adopting a report, which is a step in the confirmation process, as it has consistently questioned Kim's eligibility and demanded his withdrawal.
The PPP has also called for extending the hearings by a day to better vet the nominee, while the DP has maintained they should be completed Wednesday before finalizing the confirmation next week.
The motion for a prime minister's confirmation passes by majority approval, with a majority of lawmakers present.
The DP can single-handedly pass Kim's motion as it currently holds a parliamentary majority with 167 out of 298 seats.
The nominee is a four-term lawmaker of the DP and a former top campaign aide to President Lee Jae Myung. (Yonhap)
