Opposition's Full-Scale Attack on Humiliating Pro-Japan Diplomacy... Submission of Request for Parliamentary Inquiry (Comprehensive)

82 Lawmakers from Democratic and Basic Income Parties Jointly Propose
Demand for Hearing at National Assembly Standing Committee Level

The Democratic Party of Korea submitted a request for a government investigation into the government's diplomacy with Japan on the 29th. The Democratic Party also plans to hold hearings on 'Yoon Seok-yeol government's submissive diplomacy' by standing committees at the National Assembly level.

Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Han-jung, Kim Sang-hee, Basic Income Party lawmaker Yong Hye-in, and Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Soo-jin (from left) are entering the National Assembly's Legislative Affairs Office on the 29th to submit a request for a state audit on humiliating diplomacy with Japan. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the same day in the afternoon, the Democratic Party, together with the Basic Income Party, submitted a 'Request for a Government Investigation to Uncover the Truth about the Humiliating Solution to Forced Labor during Japanese Occupation and the Submissive Korea-Japan Summit' to the National Assembly Secretariat. From the Democratic Party, Representative Kim Sang-hee, who serves as the Chairperson of the Countermeasures Committee on Humiliating Diplomacy toward Japan, Representative Kim Han-jung, the opposition party secretary of the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Business Committee, and Representative Lee Soo-jin, the floor spokesperson of the Environment and Labor Committee, along with Representative Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party, attended to submit the request on behalf of the 82 lawmakers who jointly proposed the government investigation.

In the request for the government investigation, the Democratic Party criticized, "The Korea-Japan summit on March 16 was a total disaster in which the dignity and national interests of the Republic of Korea were severely damaged in various fields such as history, diplomacy, security, economy, safety, and environment due to the Yoon Seok-yeol government's lack of historical awareness and incompetence from the preparation process to the progress of the summit and follow-up measures."

Regarding the 'third-party compensation plan' for the victims of forced labor, it was pointed out that "it is an inhumane and humiliating plan as it excludes Japan's apology and compensation to the victims, and it is unconstitutional and illegal as it contradicts the rulings of our Supreme Court recognizing the liability of war crime companies and domestic law."

This government investigation will cover ▲ whether there were any allegations of unconstitutionality, illegality, dereliction of duty, breach of trust, or abuse of authority in the process of the 'third-party compensation plan' and waiver of subrogation rights ▲ whether issues such as Dokdo and comfort women were discussed at the Korea-Japan summit and the suspicion that Prime Minister Kishida of Japan raised the comfort women and Dokdo issues but President Yoon did not strongly protest or respond ▲ whether there was a request from Japan to lift restrictions on Fukushima seafood imports during the Korea-Japan summit and the meeting between President Yoon and the Korea-Japan Parliamentary League ▲ the circumstances leading to the withdrawal of the World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint, notification of the normalization of GSOMIA (Korea-Japan military information protection agreement), and the initiation of the process to restore the whitelist.

After submitting the request for the government investigation, Representative Kim Sang-hee told reporters, "Every day after the Korea-Japan summit, astonishing things are happening," and explained, "We thought a government investigation was necessary to comprehensively examine what happened at the summit and related matters in the relevant standing committees, so the Democratic Party and the Basic Income Party jointly submitted the request."

Representative Kim said, "We expected Japan to respond positively to the third-party compensation plan, but issues were raised comprehensively regarding the Dokdo issue, comfort women victims, Fukushima contaminated water discharge, Fukushima seafood, and textbook issues," and urged the People Power Party, saying, "Revealing the truth would also reduce the political burden for the People Power Party. I hope they will respond to the government investigation."

Representative Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party also said, "The government and ruling party have a responsibility to sincerely explain to the people," and added, "I hope the People Power Party and the Justice Party will also participate so that the National Assembly can fulfill its duties."

The Democratic Party plans to hold individual or joint hearings at the National Assembly standing committee level regarding the government investigation into diplomacy with Japan.

Floor leader Park Hong-geun said at the Supreme Council meeting in the morning, "The Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs and Fisheries Committee and the Environment and Labor Committee will jointly hold a hearing on the marine discharge of Fukushima radioactive contaminated water, the Women and Family Committee will handle the comfort women issue, the National Defense Committee will handle GSOMIA, and the Industry Committee will hold hearings on export regulations and the withdrawal of the WTO complaint," and added that they will promote holding hearings by each standing committee.

Floor spokesperson Lee Soo-jin also told reporters, "The Democratic Party has a task force related to submissive diplomacy toward Japan, and each standing committee has various current issues," and added, "Regarding the discharge of Fukushima contaminated water and the import of Fukushima seafood, the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs and Fisheries Committee and the Environment and Labor Committee are jointly operating hearings, and other standing committees are also requesting hearings."