Won Hee-ryong: "June 29 is a Day of Shame... The Democratic Party Opened the 'Winner-Takes-All' Pandora's Box Themselves"

Democratic Party's Exclusive Control of Standing Committee Chairs is a "Destruction of Democracy"

Won Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Won Heeryong, Governor of Jeju, criticized the Democratic Party of Korea for monopolizing the chairmanships of the National Assembly standing committees, saying, "June 29 is no longer a great day of achieving democracy but a shameful day when democracy was destroyed."

On the 30th, Governor Won wrote on his Facebook, "The Democratic Party monopolized the standing committees," adding, "It was predictable from the moment they forcibly took the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee, which had been a customary practice in the National Assembly. The Democratic Party itself opened the Pandora’s box of 'winner-takes-all,' which they always oppose whenever they speak."

He continued, "Joo Ho-young, the floor leader who confessed that he was not negotiating but being threatened, said he 'wanted to overturn the table' due to all kinds of humiliation and insults," emphasizing, "That humiliation and insult were suffered by the people."

He further pointed out, "Democracy is maintained by 'mutual tolerance,' which recognizes the opponent as a legitimate competitor, and 'institutional restraint,' which exercises constitutionally permitted rights with prudence," adding, "The Democratic Party abandoned both tolerance and restraint."

Governor Won also claimed that democracy was destroyed by the Democratic Party. He stated, "Now, June 29 is no longer a great day of achieving democracy but a shameful day when democracy was destroyed."

Finally, he said, "Not recognizing the opponent and not allowing dissent is dictatorship. We must no longer tolerate dictatorship," adding, "The people will surely judge the forces that destroyed democracy. Everyone who is angry at the revived specter of dictatorship must fight together. I, Won Heeryong, will stand at the forefront."