Seoul: The National Assembly on Friday adopted confirmation hearing reports for the foreign, finance, and industry minister nominees, paving the way for President Lee Jae Myung to fill these crucial posts. Parliamentary committees approved the nominations of Cho Hyun as Foreign Minister, Kim Jung-kwan as Industry Minister, and Koo Yun-cheol as Finance Minister.

According to Yonhap News Agency, while Cabinet appointments are subject to parliamentary hearings, minister nominees can assume their roles without the need for lawmakers' approval. The main opposition party, the People Power Party (PPP), initially resisted adopting the hearing reports for President Lee's inaugural Cabinet choices. However, they later agreed to cooperate with the confirmation of the three ministers, particularly given the urgency of upcoming tariff negotiations with the United States.

During a party meeting, PPP interim leader Song Eon-seog emphasized that the decision was made to ensure the minister nominees could promptly engage in the tariff discussions with the U.S. The negotiations are particularly pressing as U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deadline of August 1 to potentially impose 25 percent tariffs on imported South Korean goods, offering Seoul a narrow window to negotiate a favorable agreement.