With less than three weeks remaining until her inauguration, President-elect Park Geun-hye has yet to make a single Cabinet member or Cheong Wa Dae aide appointment, prompting concerns of a teetering start for the new government.

Reports widely anticipated the designation of Park’s presidential chief-of-staff and the prime minister to be imminent over the weekend, but Park was reportedly still reviewing her final options on Monday morning.

Park’s initial appointment of Kim Yong-joon, her transition committee chairman, as her prime minister fell flat upon doubts over his ethics that led to Kim’s voluntary withdrawal of his nomination.

The latest personnel fiasco reportedly forced the president-elect ― who usually prioritizes security and is dependent on a tiny group of advisors ― to widen her search by checking every nook and cranny of potential candidates’ background.

Nevertheless, the formation of Park’s Cabinet is expected to suffer a delay considering the time needed for the nominees to undergo the National Assembly hearing process. The prime minister and ministers must be questioned and approved by the National Assembly.

It was considered crucial for all the nominations to be made by last Sunday as the hearing process takes up to 20 days in accordance with the Personnel Hearing Act.

But the ruling Saenuri Party expressed confidence that the Cabinet will be formed as scheduled.

“Ten days is enough even (to approve) the prime minister,” Saenuri floor leader Lee Hahn-koo said.

The party also provided its interpretation of the law that stipulates that the review or hearing for the nominee shall be completed within 20 days of the relevant bill being presented.

Stressing that there is still enough time, the Saenuri Party argues that the regulation simply “suggests” the maximum number of days for the verification. The main opposition Democratic United Party, on the other hand, contends that it only states the minimum number of days in which the candidate should be questioned.

“If the hearing cannot be completed until Park’s inauguration, we can continue it afterwards,” said DUP floor leader Park Ki-choon.

The DUP also condemned the ruling camp for “an attempt to nullify the hearing,” saying that they are trying to place the blame on the opposition bloc for the delays.

The Saenuri Party set up a task force to look into the current confirmation hearing system last week upon Park’s remarks that the verification of a nominee’s background should be conducted in private to avoid character bashing. The DUP has slammed the move as stepping beyond the rule of law for the sake of having her personnel decisions avoid scrutiny.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)