The nominee to head the environment ministry said he was truly sorry regarding allegations that he had plagiarized his master's thesis when obtaining a degree from Seoul National University in 1993.

During his parliamentary confirmation hearing on Monday, Kim Wan-sup explained his academic advisor had published an abstract and recommended that he update and use it as a framework for his thesis. He said he had no understanding of plagiarism at the time, however, he considers it a "mistake."

The nominee also flatly denied any involvement in the operation and management of a company run by his in-laws, in response to allegations of conflict of interest over the company's performance of delivery to government ministries.

On environment policy, Kim pledged to expand water infrastructure for flood prevention and supply chains against drought, and to put forth a reasonable plan for Nationally Determined Contributions(NDCs) in 2035, based on science and technology.

The nominee said he intends to actively push for dam construction and dredging of rivers, as well as pollution source management measures aimed at easing concerns over the quality of drinking water from the Nakdong River Basin.