The nominee for the National Tax Service head, Kang Min-soo, issued an apology during a parliamentary hearing for the controversies surrounding his master's thesis. The thesis had been criticized for alleged plagiarism and for his use of inappropriate terms to describe the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. Kang expressed regret for causing hurt with his choice of phrases during his time as a graduate student, particularly the use of "Gwangju incident" instead of the more appropriate "May 18 Democratic Uprising." He also acknowledged the plagiarism accusations, admitting that he failed to properly cite many sources in his dissertation, although he defended the overall originality of his work. Despite the ongoing hearing, President Yoon Suk Yeol retains the authority to appoint Kang as the next NTS commissioner. Kang's apology and explanation during the parliamentary hearing sought to address the concerns regarding his academic integrity and historical sensitivity, although the final decision ultimately lies with the president.