Opposition Denounces Ruling Party's Demand as "Political Intent"
Decision Made After Negotiation Between Ruling and Opposition Whips
The National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee has decided to summon No Tae-ak, Chairman of the Central Election Commission, to the upcoming October audit to question him directly regarding the 'allegations of preferential hiring of children of senior officials at the Election Commission.'
On the afternoon of the 20th, the committee held a plenary meeting and passed a resolution to request No Tae-ak's attendance at the audit. The date for the attendance request is October 13.
The request for Chairman No's attendance was not originally on the agenda for the meeting but was introduced and processed after consultations between ruling and opposition party secretaries at the request of the People Power Party.
During this process, some members of the Democratic Party opposed summoning the chairman of the Election Commission, a constitutional institution, to the audit, arguing that it violates the spirit of the Constitution. Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Hae-sik stated, "We have already questioned the issue of preferential hiring in previous sessions," and added, "The People Power Party's insistence on summoning the chairman seems to have political motives."
In response, People Power Party lawmaker Jeon Bong-min countered, "What is the purpose of the audit? We cannot avoid asking about the allegations of preferential hiring at the Election Commission, which the public is watching," and said, "If there is no legal issue, it is only natural to summon the chairman and ask questions."
Kim Gyo-heung, chair of the Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party, cited Article 121, Paragraph 5 of the National Assembly Act, which states that a standing committee may request the attendance of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, and the Chairman of the Central Election Commission to question specific matters, persuading Democratic Party members.
The committee also passed a resolution to summon Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungbuk Province, and Lee Beom-seok, Mayor of Cheongju City, as ordinary witnesses on the first day of the audit, October 10, regarding the 'Osong disaster.'
Some Democratic Party members and Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party opposed this, arguing that they should be summoned as institutional witnesses rather than ordinary witnesses to conduct a proper audit. According to the convention that local governments undergo audits every other year, Chungbuk Province was excluded from this year's audit, but they argued that the audit could proceed to investigate the Osong disaster.
Additionally, the People Power Party insisted on summoning them as ordinary witnesses but proposed that their attendance date be set for the last day of the audit, which caused delays in the meeting proceedings.
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