Bareunmiraedang Ultimately 'Self-Expulsion'... Son Hak-gyu Left Alone (Comprehensive)

Barunmirae Party General Assembly Expels Proportional Representative
Son Requests Voter Interpretation from Election Commission
Three Honam Parties Form Joint Negotiation Group

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Sohn Hak-kyu, leader of the Bareunmirae Party, has ultimately become isolated at a crossroads between the Honam New Party and non-parliamentary parties. This is because when Sohn blocked the merger of the Bareunmirae Party, the Party of Democracy and Peace, and the Alternative New Party, affiliated lawmakers pulled out the collective resignation card. Sohn’s side defined the self-expulsion of proportional representation lawmakers as a 'violation of party rules and regulations' and requested an interpretation from the Central Election Commission.

Hwang Han-woong, Secretary-General of the Bareunmirae Party, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 18th, "Because both sides have different views, it is really difficult to narrow the gap," adding, "There is no change in Sohn’s current position. However, I think there is room for negotiation." Regarding the self-expulsion, Secretary-General Hwang pointed out, "According to Article 33 of the Political Parties Act, expulsion disciplinary action by the Ethics Committee must precede, followed by a two-thirds vote at the party caucus meeting to expel a lawmaker."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to Sohn, Bareunmirae Party lawmakers proceeded with the expulsion process of proportional representation lawmakers. Park Joo-sun, Kim Dong-cheol, Joo Seung-yong, Lim Jae-hoon, Choi Do-ja, Lee Sang-don, Kwon Eun-hee, Kim Sam-hwa, Kim Soo-min, Kim Jung-ro, Shin Yong-hyun, Lee Dong-seop, and Lee Tae-gyu held a party caucus meeting that morning and approved the expulsion of nine proportional representation lawmakers. However, Park Sun-sook, Park Joo-hyun, Jang Jung-sook, and Chae Yi-bae did not attend the meeting, so their expulsion did not take place. In the case of proportional representation lawmakers, they lose their seats if they leave the party, but they can retain their seats if expelled.

Lawmaker Lee Dong-seop told reporters immediately after the caucus meeting, “Originally, we have 17 sitting lawmakers. Thirteen attended the meeting, and nine were expelled,” adding, “We plan to immediately register as independents at the National Assembly Secretariat.” Regarding the lawmakers who did not attend the meeting, he explained, “We notified the caucus meeting, made countless phone calls, but they did not answer. Finally, we confirmed through their aides that they would not attend.”

Sohn’s side argues that self-expulsion without disciplinary action by the Ethics Committee is impossible under party rules and regulations. According to the party rules, the expulsion of lawmakers must go through 'Ethics Committee disciplinary action → party caucus expulsion.' Ultimately, even if lawmakers expel members through the caucus meeting, legal legitimacy controversies are expected to be unavoidable. However, in political circles, there are also opinions that Sohn’s legal response is practically meaningless given the proximity of the general election.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The day before, Sohn blocked the merger of the Bareunmirae Party, the Alternative New Party, and the Party of Democracy and Peace. Sohn strongly opposed including the leadership’s term until the 28th of this month in the party rules’ appendix as stipulated in the three-party agreement.

Separately from the merger discussions, lawmakers from the three parties formed a joint negotiation group called the 'Democratic Integration Lawmakers’ Group' and elected Yoo Seong-yeop, a lawmaker from the Alternative New Party, as floor leader. They plan to act as the third parliamentary negotiation group and participate in the February temporary National Assembly’s electoral district delimitation discussions to minimize the reduction of Honam constituencies. Jang Jung-sook, a lawmaker from the Alternative New Party and chief deputy floor leader of the negotiation group, told reporters right after the joint caucus meeting, “We are forming the negotiation group in advance to promote the three-party merger,” adding, “To check the collusion between the Democratic Party of Korea and the United Future Party, we resolved to push bills for people’s livelihood, fairness, justice, and reform during this temporary National Assembly session.”