A major political clash was narrowly averted Thursday when the ruling Saenuri Party and the major opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy agreed to postpone a plenary session until Feb. 16, delaying the vote on Lee Wan-koo’s appointment as the new prime minister.

The deal was brokered by the National Assembly speaker Chung Ui-hwa who advised Saenuri Party not to think only about the immediate gains but also diverse perspectives of the issue. Chung also requested that the NPAD take part in the voting on Monday.

Chung’s mediation made it possible to avoid the ruling party voting unilaterally on the motion to confirm Lee, but the issue is far from being resolved. While the Saenuri Party ― which had originally insisted on voting on Thursday following two days of confirmation hearings ― has said it would vote on Monday unilaterally if the opposition party were to boycott the session, the NPAD ― which had initially wanted the opening of the plenary session to be moved to until after the New Year holiday ― maintained that it would boycott the voting, calling for Lee’s withdrawal as a prime minister nominee.

A unilateral voting on a prime minister’s confirmation is unprecedented and would mark a significant dent in the country’s parliamentary procedure. Saenuri Party, holding the majority in the National Assembly, can be assured of Lee’s confirmation if its members vote along the party line. If voted into office this way, there is no doubt that Lee’s effectiveness as a prime minister will be compromised.

President Park Geun-hye’s two previous choices for prime minister withdrew after facing tough confirmation hearings. It says something about Park’s poor personnel management when even her latest nominee faces charges of ethical lapses and media manipulation. As questions about Lee grew during the confirmation hearing, NPAD chairman Moon Jae-in remarked that although he was not going to oppose Lee as he was already the third prime minister nominee since May, he won’t be able to go through with it now.

Lee came out of the confirmation hearing greatly damaged. His ability to lead as the country’s prime minister is questionable as several ethical lapses have come to light. Lee’s claims about his ability to manipulate the media should raise alarms about his commitment to freedom of the press and, by extension, freedom of expression.

The latest Gallup Poll on the appropriateness of Lee as a prime minister shows 41 percent of the respondents thought him inappropriate while 29 percent thought him fit for the position. Thirty percent withheld opinion.

Lee should think deeply about whether it would be responsible for him to assume the office of prime minister when he has been so damaged, his reputation in tatters. If he decides to continue with the confirmation process, then the National Assembly plenary session should convene on Feb. 16 as agreed and the vote should be taken with lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties in attendance. The lawmakers will be casting anonymous, secret ballots ― they should vote according to their conscience and their judgment.