The prime minister nominee’s confirmation hearing resumed Wednesday, with a controversial tape recording publicized a day before threatening to jeopardize the appointment.

Rep. Lee Wan-koo, nominated to the Prime Minister’s Office last month, was accused of threatening to use ties to senior media figures to “get rid of” reporters who wrote critical stories about him.

In a voice recording of the nominee disclosed Tuesday by main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy lawmakers, Lee also vowed to help pass a strict anti-corruption bill that could be used to detain reporters in what his opponents called a threatening tone.

Lee had denied making the statements until the voice recording was publicized.

Lawmakers in Lee’s governing Saenuri Party argued that the NPAD had “edited” the recording to highlight the controversial comments. NPAD lawmakers then offered to disclose other parts of the recordings, a proposal that Saenuri Party lawmakers declined.

The National Assembly will hold a plenary session on Thursday to put Lee’s appointment to a vote. If the division along party lines at Wednesday’s hearing worsens, lawmakers could postpone a plenary vote on the nomination.

“Rep. Lee’s nomination requires reconsideration,” NPAD leader Rep. Moon Jae-in said Wednesday.

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