South Korea will hold confirmation hearings for seven public-office nominees from September 14 to 17, including five ministerial candidates for President Lee Jae Myung’s second-term cabinet. Hearings are scheduled for Justice nominee Kim Seung-moo on September 14; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy nominee Lee Hyoung-il, Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won, and SMEs and Startups minister nominee Lee So-young on September 15; and National Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul and Land, Infrastructure and Transport minister nominee Hong Jee-sun on September 16. Independent Inspector General nominee Choi Gil-su is scheduled for September 17. Gender Equality and Family minister nominee Yong Hye-in remains without a confirmed hearing date, though a session could be held before September 22, the deadline requested by President Lee. Kim Seung-won faces allegations that he lobbied the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2021 to accelerate Genencell’s COVID-19 treatment clinical-trial approval. Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon released recordings involving Kim and broker Yang, along with prosecution documents indicating an initial plan to indict Kim, prompting the Democratic Party to accuse Han of leaking official secrets. The People Power Party also alleges that Kim’s nomination is linked to efforts to dismiss prosecution cases involving Lee, while the Democratic Party says the justice minister cannot cancel indictments or direct the prosecutor general. The four other ministerial nominees scheduled for hearings face separate real-estate allegations, including claims involving reconstruction gains, a rapid rise in property value, false residency registration and loans from relatives.