The nominee to lead South Korea’s Justice Ministry vowed to protect human rights of minorities and sternly deal with unfair practices and wrongdoings involving conglomerates and the privileged, the nominee said during a parliamentary confirmation hearing Thursday.

Park Sang-ki, 64, a professor at Yonsei University’s law school, said to a panel of lawmakers that he would push for the launch of a separate investigative body to probe corruption involving politicians and public servants, including prosecutors and judges, one of President Moon Jae-in’s campaign pledges.

“The key value of the Justice Ministry is in the realization of justice. I will not tolerate privileges (given to a few) and violation of the rule of law,” Park said.

At the hearing, opposition lawmakers, however, raised suspicions that the nominee himself may have broken rules and evaded taxes.

The liberal activist scholar was questioned on an allegation that he financially supported his son to rent an apartment without paying gift taxes.

The lawmakers asked for related documents to be submitted before the hearing, but Park rejected their request, citing privacy. 

President Moon tapped Park on June 27, nearly two weeks after his first pick for the job, Ahn Kyong-whan, withdrew himself from nomination over a series of ethical issues, including controversial views on women and gender equality.

Park heads the Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice, a liberal activist group that calls for economic justice based on the fair distribution of income.

Following the hearing, the panel will assess Moon Moo-il, the incumbent head of the Busan High Prosecutors’ Office, nominated for prosecutor-general, on July 24.

The selection of Park and Moon Moo-il signals the Moon Jae-in administration’s intention to reform the prosecution and the Justice Ministry in the wake of the corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye, high-ranking government officials and ex-prosecutors.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)