President Lee Jae Myung says the nominee to head the new planning and budget ministry will have to sufficiently explain her position regarding past comments she made that seemed to support former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law action last year.

The president’s remarks come after he nominated conservative former lawmaker Lee Hye-hoon, who seemingly supported Yoon’s martial law bid earlier this year and attended rallies organized by those who opposed his impeachment.

At a press briefing on Monday, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the president called on the nominee to provide an explanation after he was briefed on related media reports, but Kang did not verify whether the nominee has responded.

When asked if Lee made the nomination in the interest of unity, the spokesperson said the nominee was selected by the president to send a message calling for unity.

Regarding potential policy differences between the government and the nominee, Kang cited the president as saying that narrowing those differences and reaching agreements through fierce debate could provide a chance to create new and more rational policies.