Forceful Passage of 'Lee Sang-min Dismissal Motion'... Will the Budget Bill Fail to Pass This Session for the First Time?

Proposal to Dismiss Lee Sang-min Reported at Today's (8th) Plenary Session
Opposition Decides Party Line for 'Dismissal Proposal and Gradual Impeachment'
Ruling Party May Scrap Dismissal Proposal Due to Budget Negotiation Delays

Discussion Expected in Next Week's Extraordinary Session After Tomorrow's Regular Session Ends
Will Ruling and Opposition Talks in the Special Parliamentary Investigation Committee Fail?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] On the 8th, as the Democratic Party of Korea reported the motion to dismiss Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min to the plenary session, not only was the regular session deadline for the next year's budget bill already missed, but the push for a parliamentary investigation into the Itaewon tragedy was also stalled.

The Democratic Party of Korea submitted the dismissal motion against Minister Lee as an agenda item at the National Assembly plenary session held on the afternoon of the 8th. Earlier, on the 30th of last month, the Democratic Party proposed the dismissal motion against Minister Lee to hold him accountable for the Itaewon tragedy, and planned to process it on the 9th, when the regular session ends, after reporting it to the plenary session on this day. Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said, "According to the National Assembly Act, after reporting the dismissal motion, it must be resolved within 24 to 72 hours," adding, "We are initiating that procedure."

In response, Song Eon-seok, deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "Legally, it must be reported at the first plenary session, and since it cannot be processed today, I have no particular opinion," adding, "If a bill is passed at today's plenary session, the only agenda for tomorrow's plenary session is the budget bill, but if the agreement is delayed, not only the budget bill but also the dismissal motion processing may be delayed."

Currently, the ruling and opposition parties have reached an agreement on income tax and comprehensive real estate tax, but issues regarding corporate tax and capital gains tax on stocks remain at an impasse. As budget negotiations between the parties are facing difficulties, it is interpreted as a strategy to delay budget negotiations until the regular session ends on the 9th and block the processing of the dismissal motion. If the dismissal motion is not processed within 72 hours after being reported to the plenary session, it is automatically discarded.

In this case, it will be the first time since the introduction of the National Assembly Advancement Act that the next year's budget bill extends beyond the session. Because of this, the ruling and opposition parties engaged in fierce responsibility disputes over the delayed processing of the next year's budget bill on this day. Park Hong-geun, the Democratic Party floor leader, pressured by stating he would submit a sole amendment focused on reductions, while Jeong Gi-seok, emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, accused the Democratic Party of holding the budget bill hostage to create a shielded National Assembly for leader Lee Jae-myung.

The parliamentary investigation into the Itaewon tragedy is also inevitably facing disruption. After the Democratic Party decided on the dismissal motion against Minister Lee as a party stance the previous day, the People Power Party opposed, saying, "Such a dismissal motion has no legitimacy or justification whatsoever." Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, expressed on the morning of the 4th on KBS 'Sunday Diagnosis Live' that the decision to participate in the parliamentary investigation would depend on the progress of the dismissal motion against Minister Lee, even mentioning the possibility of a 'parliamentary investigation boycott.'

Accordingly, the Democratic Party's plan to start pushing for the parliamentary investigation after completing the dismissal motion against Minister Lee and budget negotiations has encountered setbacks. Woo Sang-ho, chairman of the special committee for the parliamentary investigation, told this outlet in a phone interview, "After finishing budget negotiations, the ruling and opposition parties will cooperate to push for the parliamentary investigation starting next week," but the possibility of the ruling party's boycott still remains.

If the ruling party does not cooperate, the opposition is highly likely to proceed with the parliamentary investigation unilaterally. Kim Gyo-heung, the opposition special committee secretary, said in a phone interview, "There has been no progress in preparing for the parliamentary investigation due to the ruling party's lack of cooperation," adding, "We are proceeding with procedures such as requesting materials. If ruling party members do not join from next week, we will have no choice but to proceed on schedule without them."

According to the parliamentary investigation plan agreed upon earlier by both parties, the special committee will operate until January 7 of next year. After a total of 45 days of preparation, including submission of materials, the committee must conduct agency reports, on-site inspections, and hearings.