South Korea cabinet nominees address indictments and defense alliance

South Korean cabinet nominees Kim Seung-won and Kang Shin-chul addressed key political and security issues ahead of their parliamentary confirmation hearings.

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won denied intentions to order the withdrawal of criminal indictments against President Lee Jae Myung. While Kim previously supported calls to drop the charges, claiming they resulted from politically motivated investigations, he stated that the justice minister lacks direct authority over individual prosecutorial decisions and will respect the prosecutors' autonomy.

Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul expressed his commitment to pursuing the transfer of wartime operational command (OPCON) from the United States in a manner that strengthens the South Korea-US alliance. Kang, a former deputy commander of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command, aims to continue the transition process as Seoul seeks to regain wartime command during President Lee's term.