The confirmation hearing for South Korea’s labor minister nominee transformed into a political clash over North Korea on Wednesday, with opposition lawmakers staging a walkout after grilling the nominee over his past attempt to attend former DPRK leader Kim Jong Il’s 2011 funeral.

Kim Young-hoon, nominated by President Lee Jae-myung to lead the administration’s labor policies, faced sharp questioning on his views on North Korea from People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers at his National Assembly hearing.

The PPP cited Kim’s history of travel to North Korea, including a Dec. 2011 application to visit Pyongyang to pay respects after Kim