Speaker Kim Jin-pyo: "Park Jin's Dismissal Motion, Consultation Between Ruling and Opposition Parties First"

<본회의 상정 확답 안내놔
Yoon Signals Veto If Dismissal Motion Passes
Opposition Pushes for "Vote Submission"
Ruling Party Says "No Authority to Submit">

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Foreign Minister Park Jin attended the plenary session for the negotiation group representatives' speech held at the National Assembly on the 29th and is seen talking with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Kim Jin-pyo, Speaker of the National Assembly, who holds the key to the plenary session submission of the motion to dismiss Foreign Minister Park Jin, declared an adjournment on the 29th without concluding whether to submit the dismissal motion. He bought time by saying, "Negotiations between negotiation groups should come first," presenting the principle that 'consultation between ruling and opposition parties is a priority,' without giving a definitive answer on whether to submit it to the plenary session. President Yoon Seok-yeol supported Minister Park on the same day and hinted at the possibility of vetoing the dismissal motion if it passes the National Assembly.

Before the plenary session, Speaker Kim stated in a meeting with the People Power Party leadership, "I will try mediation again after the negotiation group representatives' speeches," expressing a general stance. The ruling and opposition parties clashed over Minister Park's dismissal motion. The People Power Party leadership visited the Speaker just before the plenary session began to protest, saying, "No unilateral submission without bipartisan agreement is absolutely unacceptable." After the meeting with Speaker Kim, Floor Leader Joo Ho-young told reporters, "We strongly conveyed that unilateral submission without bipartisan agreement is completely unacceptable."

At the party meeting that day, Floor Leader Joo expressed strong opposition, saying, "Unagreed matters are no different from throwing cold water on our party's negotiation group representative speeches." He criticized, "If dismissal motions are pushed through recklessly by numerical power and dismissal motions are submitted indiscriminately but not approved, it will rather diminish the authority of the National Assembly and lead to its ridicule."

On the other hand, the opposition party intends to submit the motion through a vote. Park Hong-geun, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, told reporters after the party meeting, "The government has caused an unprecedented diplomatic disaster and accidents in history," adding, "Incompetence has been proven, and then someone must take responsibility for this matter, and that can only be the Foreign Minister representing the government," reaffirming the intention to push forward with the dismissal motion.

President Yoon hinted at vetoing the dismissal motion against Minister Park. On his way to work that day, President Yoon told reporters, "(Minister Park) has outstanding abilities. He travels tirelessly around the world for national interests to the point of worrying about his health," and said, "The public will clearly know what is right and wrong." Minister Park also indicated no intention to resign, saying to reporters at the National Assembly, "I will follow the will of the appointing authority regarding my position."

Earlier, the Democratic Party adopted the dismissal motion against Minister Park as a party resolution and submitted it to the National Assembly to hold him accountable for President Yoon Seok-yeol's 'diplomatic tour controversy.' The motion to dismiss a cabinet member is a power of the National Assembly stipulated in Article 63 of the Constitution. It requires the proposal of at least one-third (100 members) of the total members and approval by a majority (150 members). The Democratic Party currently holds 169 seats, so it can pass the motion on its own.

The vote on the dismissal motion must be conducted by secret ballot within 24 to 72 hours after the plenary session report. Since the National Assembly Secretary-General completed the report immediately after the plenary session opened at 2 p.m. on the 27th, the legal deadline is 2 p.m. on the 30th.