A parliamentary committee on Tuesday passed a confirmation report on Foreign Minister nominee Cho Tae-yul.

The Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee said the nominee is qualified to serve as the new minister, given his expertise and experience in diplomacy.

The committee, however, noted Cho’s suspected involvement in a high-profile judicial power abuse scandal under the former administration of President Park Geun-hye.

The scandal centers on former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae, who was accused of having orchestrated a delay in the deliberation of a damages suit filed by Korean victims of forced labor during Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule to curry favor with Park.

Cho, the then second vice foreign minister, also allegedly held multiple consultations with a senior top court official, also implicated in the scandal.

Cho, who served as South Korean ambassador to the United Nations, is a retired veteran diplomat known for his expertise in trade and multilateral affairs.

Last month, he was no
minated by President Yoon Suk Yeol to replace Park Jin.

Cho’s confirmation hearing, held on Monday, is widely seen as a formality because his formal appointment does not require the endorsement of the National Assembly.

In South Korea, the prime minister is the only Cabinet post that requires parliamentary approval.

Source: Yonhap News Agency