Opposition leaders say `never` to three controversial nominees

Ahn Cheol-soo, co-chairmen of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), on Friday lashed out at three candidates for Cabinet members of the Park Geun-hye administration. He made it clear that the three nominees -- Moon Chang-keuk for prime minister, Lee Byung-ki for director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), and Kim Myung-soo for education minister -- should not be appointed to the positions.

During the party`s supreme council meeting, Ahn said, "Moon who will not be accepted by the people and the international community, Lee who is suspected to make the NIS worse instead of reforming it, and Kim who allegedly committed thesis plagiarism not tolerated by any previous administration and parliament should never be appointed." He also urged President Park to withdraw their nomination, saying that it "disappointed and hurt" the people. He added that such evaluation of the nominees was "based on the general public`s common sense."

Kim Han-gil, also an NPAD co-chairman, noted, "Moon is welcomed by no one but right-wing extremists in Japan. President Park should seek the public`s forgiveness for dividing the nation despite her call for national integration." On Thursday, Kim told a group of Japanese journalists in Seoul, "Moon has a very eccentric view of history. The entire (Korean) public is angry."