President Yoon Suk Yeol approved the appointment of Kim Moon-soo as new labor minister Thursday, his office said, as the opposition bloc strongly denounced Kim's view about the Japanese colonial rule.

Kim, former head of the presidential Economic, Social and Labor Council, was nominated by Yoon for new labor minister late last month.

During Monday's parliamentary confirmation hearing, Kim said Koreans during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule were regarded as Japanese nationals, sticking to a controversial remark he made years ago that critics say denies the view that the country was founded in 1919 with the establishment of a provisional government.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea urged Kim to voluntarily step down, citing his historical views over Japan's colonial rule.

During the hearing, Kim also said former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment was "wrong and will be reevaluated historically." (Yonhap)