The Democratic Party warns Geum Tae-seop for abstaining on the establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office
Criticism arises inside and outside the party... Cho Eung-cheon says "The party disciplines a lawmaker's conscientious judgment"
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] It has recently come to light that former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, who abstained from voting on the establishment of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HOCI), was disciplined. This decision has sparked criticism both inside and outside the party, with many calling it "an act that disregards a lawmaker's conscience."
On the 2nd, Democratic Party lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" and criticized the party's disciplinary decision, saying, "I don't think I've ever seen a party discipline a lawmaker for voting according to their own conscience in the plenary session."
Cho said, "The National Assembly Act includes a clause on free voting, which states that lawmakers, as representatives of the people, are not bound by their party's will and vote according to their conscience. (Former lawmaker Geum) has already taken tremendous responsibility by losing in the primary and being excluded from the election. How much more responsibility can he take?"
He added, "This disciplinary action does not align with the spirit of the National Assembly Act."
Criticism of the disciplinary action against former lawmaker Geum also came from the opposition. On the same day, Ha Tae-kyung, a lawmaker from the United Future Party, wrote on Facebook, "The Democratic Party disciplined former lawmaker Geum, who abstained from the HOCI vote," and said, "(The Democratic Party) imposed retaliatory discipline on a lawmaker with only five days left in his term."
He continued, "Article 114 of the National Assembly Act stipulates that 'lawmakers, as representatives of the people, are not bound by their party's will and vote according to their conscience.' The Democratic Party's disciplinary action violates the National Assembly Act and denies democracy," he argued.
Independent lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun wrote on his Facebook on the same day, "The ruling party, where conscience becomes a crime, is casting a shadow over parliamentary politics," and criticized, "Isn't this a declaration by the ruling party that it will definitely retaliate against lawmakers who do not follow party orders? How can we expect any conscience, debate, consultation, or coordination under these circumstances?"
Lee Hae-chan, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a microphone at a regular press briefing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 2nd. / Photo by Yonhap News
Earlier, the Democratic Party Ethics Committee held a meeting on the 25th of last month and unanimously decided by all nine members present to issue a 'warning' to former lawmaker Geum. This decision followed a petition submitted by some Democratic Party members in February calling for Geum's expulsion.
Former lawmaker Geum was the only Democratic Party member to abstain during the vote on the HOCI establishment bill at the National Assembly plenary session in December last year.
On the 2nd, Geum strongly criticized the Democratic Party in a post on his Facebook. He said, "I never thought a political party would do something similar to the prosecution," and lamented, "Regarding the Cho Kuk incident and the Yoon Mee-hyang incident, the party leadership has imposed a gag order, and lawmakers do not say a word about the issues that the public cares about most. Is this normal?"
Meanwhile, the party leadership made it clear that there is no plan to revoke the disciplinary action against former lawmaker Geum. At a regular press briefing held at the National Assembly that day, Democratic Party leader Lee Hae-chan said, "While members can oppose a recommended party stance and express their own opinions, a mandatory party stance must be enforced. The HOCI bill was a mandatory party stance. If no action is taken when the party stance is not followed, it would be meaningless," he said.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
