[Presidential Election TMI] Demanding Resignation Over National Assembly Hearing Remarks?How Can Anyone Speak Their Mind?

Jeong Cheong-rae's 'Toll Tax' Remark at National Audit Sparks Controversy
Buddhism Defamation Debate Escalates... Calls for Voluntary Resignation Within Party
Audit Remarks May Be Reined In Ahead of Election
Presidential Election Issues Overshadowed Last Year's 'Ineffective Audit'
Judgment Should Consider the Function and Essence of the National Audit

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] "You buy tickets at the ticket booth 3.5km away, pay a toll, and then enter. You have to pay even if you don't enter the temple. We're not Bong-i Kim Seon-dal."

This remark by Jeong Cheong-rae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, which recently became a trigger for pressure within the party to leave, was made during the National Assembly audit in October last year. At the time, the remark was just a small flap, but it became a nuclear bomb-level issue as it coincided with the presidential election situation. Jeong criticized the management of cultural heritage admission fees while auditing the Cultural Heritage Administration, a supervised agency. After the remark, the Buddhist community criticized Jeong for slandering Buddhism as a scammer using expressions like "toll" and "Bong-i Kim Seon-dal." However, there was no significant response from the party level.

Recently, Jeong has been receiving renewed attention because it was judged that Buddhist public sentiment is uneasy ahead of the presidential election. Candidate Lee Jae-myung and party leader Song Young-gil officially apologized, and voices demanding voluntary withdrawal from the party even emerged. On the 21st, the Jogye Order held a "National Monk Assembly," effectively holding a condemnation protest.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

But let's examine the essence of the matter. The source of the remark was the National Assembly audit, a legislative body’s oversight session. The audit is a powerful means to check and monitor the executive branch. It is a unique authority of the National Assembly stipulated in Article 61, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution, serving as a forum for reporting to the people. It is a place where a lawmaker must demonstrate the highest level of understanding of the standing committee and grasp of current issues. Last year's audit was overshadowed by presidential election issues and became a "bland audit," but in principle, that is what an audit is.

The collection of cultural heritage admission fees at temples within national parks has long been a civil complaint. Although the national park entrance fee was abolished in 2007, more than 20 large temples collect cultural heritage admission fees at the national park entrances. Even hikers who do not visit the temples have to pay the admission fee, causing conflicts. On the Blue House's National Petition Board, petitions asking to rectify the national park entrance fee issue have been steadily posted. Jeong argued that the cultural heritage admission ticket booths should be installed near the temples, not at the national park entrances.

The current situation where a lawmaker’s remarks at the audit toward a supervised agency lead to pressure within the party to "leave the party" is worrisome. In future audits ahead of major elections, lawmakers may be unable to make remarks opposing powerful organizations that can bring many votes. If the legislative branch increasingly refrains from saying "things that might lose votes," can it perform proper legislative activities? With 47 days left until the presidential election, electoral sentiment is becoming the top priority in all value judgments. As a result, no one is talking about the essence of the audit, which was the source of the controversial remarks.

On the 20th, the Jogye Order is preparing for the National Monk Assembly in the front yard of the Daeungjeon Hall at Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The Jogye Order's Countermeasure Committee Against Religious Bias and Buddhist Distortion plans to hold the Monk Assembly at 2 p.m. on the 21st, demanding an explanation and apology regarding Rep. Jeong Cheong-rae of the Democratic Party's derogatory remarks about cultural heritage admission fees and the government's issue of religious bias. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@