The Democratic Party Repeatedly Criticizes the Election Commission... Urges "All Election Commissioners to Resign"

People Power Party's Public Administration Committee Member to Visit Election Commission for Second Protest on 7th
Poll Shows 7 out of 10 Citizens Support 'No Taeak Resignation'

The People Power Party (PPP) escalated pressure on June 7 by making a second protest visit to the National Election Commission (NEC), which is under suspicion of preferential hiring of children of high-ranking officials. The ruling party continues its relentless offensive, demanding the “resignation of Chairman No Tae-ak and all NEC commissioners” and urging the acceptance of an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection.

Lee Man-hee, a PPP lawmaker and the ruling party’s floor leader on the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, told reporters after the “Working-Level Party-Government Meeting on Major Issues of the Public Administration and Security Committee” held at the National Assembly that morning, “What else can be done besides demanding the resignation of all NEC commissioners?” urging their resignation. The PPP had adopted a resolution calling for “the resignation of all NEC commissioners” at an emergency party meeting on June 5, and this is seen as a continuation of that stance.

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, and lawmakers are shouting slogans urging the Central Election Commission to accept the Board of Audit and Inspection's audit and for all members of the Central Election Commission to resign at an emergency party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Lee said, “Didn’t the NEC chairman say he would root out the evils until the public is satisfied?” He pointed out, “Looking at the various preferential hiring suspicions revealed so far, this is not a matter of one or two individuals’ personal misconduct.”

He also called for a proactive stance from the NEC, which is refusing an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection. Lee emphasized, “Wouldn’t it be most important to accurately grasp the situation through a certain scale of full investigation to correct wrongdoings and prepare measures to prevent recurrence?” adding, “I believe the Board of Audit and Inspection is the body capable of doing this accurately, and this is not about punishment.”

PPP members of the Public Administration and Security Committee also visited the NEC office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the same day. This was their second protest visit following the one on May 23. At that time, PPP committee members had called for a prosecution investigation into the preferential hiring of children of high-ranking officials and measures to counter North Korean hacking attacks. On June 8, youth members of the party, including Jang Ye-chan, the party’s youngest supreme council member, plan to make a protest visit. They are expected to demand punishment for those responsible, saying the NEC has caused feelings of betrayal and deprivation among young people struggling with employment difficulties.

Kim Ki-hyun, the PPP party leader, also emphasized at an expanded executive meeting held at the National Assembly that day, “Despite the exposure of the NEC’s behavior, which is indistinguishable from managing children’s careers rather than election management, including ‘Dad’s chance,’ ‘Brother’s chance,’ and even suspicions of rapid promotion, the Democratic Party defends the NEC’s decision to refuse an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection.” He added, “As the public’s anger grows against the Democratic Party’s irrationality, unfairness, double standards, and factional politics, the ruling party’s role and responsibility become even more critical.”

In response, the Democratic Party fired back, calling the ruling party’s actions “an attempt to tame the NEC ahead of next year’s general election.” Park Kwang-on, the Democratic Party floor leader, said at the party’s supreme council meeting, “The regime is trying to seize control of the NEC following the prosecution, police, and Board of Audit and Inspection,” and “After blatantly showing its intention to destroy the separation of powers in the appointment of Supreme Court justices, it is clearly trying to control the media.” He continued, “This is an attempt to bring all sectors of society under the regime’s control ahead of the general election, but controlling the people will never succeed,” urging, “Stop planning the general election and controlling the people immediately and focus on recovering the people’s livelihood and economy.”

Meanwhile, seven out of ten citizens expressed that Chairman No should resign. In a public opinion poll conducted by Yonhap News and Yonhap News TV through the polling agency Metrics from June 3 to 4, surveying 1,000 men and women nationwide aged 18 and older, 73.3% of respondents said, “He should take responsibility for this issue and step down.” In contrast, 14.1% answered that “there is no need to resign.” For more details, please refer to the website of the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission.