Park Hong-geun: "No procedural flaws in the April 4 Speaker election... The choice of a dysfunctional National Assembly is up to the Democratic Party"

"People Power Party's Progressive Concession Plan, Expectation for National Assembly Normalization"
"No Tricks Like Minister Appointment Without Hearing... Don't Even Dream of Passing Unqualified or Unattended Hearings"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated regarding the decision to forcibly elect the Speaker of the National Assembly at the plenary session on the 4th, "I clearly state that there is no procedural defect in the election of the second half Speaker in accordance with Articles 14 and 18 of the National Assembly Act." This directly refutes the People Power Party's stance of non-acceptance, claiming it is 'illegal.'

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the expanded executive meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 1st, Park, at the expanded executive meeting held at the National Assembly in the morning, said, "The Democratic Party resolved at yesterday's party meeting to hold a temporary plenary session next Monday (the 4th) to elect the Speaker for the second half."

He said, "Whether it will be a deadlocked National Assembly due to political strife or a National Assembly focused on people's livelihood depends on the decision of the People Power Party," blaming the ruling party for the legislative vacuum in the National Assembly for a month due to delays in negotiations over the formation of the National Assembly.

Park emphasized, "The Democratic Party made a generous decision to concede the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and decided to patiently wait for a sincere response from the ruling party," adding, "The infinite responsibility for cooperation lies with the ruling party."

He added, "Until the last moment, we will patiently wait for the ruling party to take a progressive concession and proceed with the normalization of the National Assembly."

Regarding the prosecution's investigation request on Kim Seung-hee, the nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, over allegations related to the Political Funds Act, Park harshly criticized, "She is consistently resisting rather than voluntarily resigning."

He said, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration should not even dream of passing unqualified candidates without hearings," calling it an "unprecedented personnel disaster." He also urged, "The president must take responsibility and withdraw the nomination," and "We call for accountability and system reform of the Yoon administration's personnel line, which even recommended suspects of criminal charges."