Seong Il-jong "Kim, Apologize for Your Remarks from the Previous Day"
Kim Byung-joo "Demanding an Apology Is an Excuse... Special Prosecutor Shield"
Seong Il-jong, chairman of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly from the People Power Party, canceled the full meeting of the Defense Committee scheduled for the morning of the 3rd. Chairman Seong stated that the meeting could only be held if an apology was made for the previous day's remark by Kim Byung-joo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who called him a "crazy People Power Party member." Kim, who is also a member of the Defense Committee, urged the meeting to proceed, saying that the Defense Committee meeting was a separate matter from the previous day's issue.
The Defense Committee meeting, originally scheduled for 9:20 a.m. that day, was announced to be canceled around 9 a.m. through the administrative office. Despite the cancellation, opposition party members of the Defense Committee gathered in the committee meeting room. Kim said, "They are using my remarks from the previous day as an excuse not to hold the meeting, but in my view, it seems like a shield against the Chae Hae-byeong special investigation law," adding, "The meeting was supposed to be held, but Chairman Seong unilaterally canceled it without agreement between the ruling and opposition parties." He then called Chairman Seong and asked, "Why aren't you coming?" Chairman Seong came to the committee meeting room after receiving the call and had a private meeting with Kim.
On the morning of the 3rd, the National Assembly National Defense Committee's plenary meeting, which was scheduled to take place, was canceled. Kim Byung-joo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (left), visited the National Defense Committee chairman's office to demand the meeting be held from Seong Il-jong, the chairman from the People Power Party. Amid the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties triggered by Kim Byung-joo's remark calling the ruling party "crazy," the People Power Party demanded an apology and canceled the National Defense Committee's plenary meeting that day. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Chairman Seong said, "The official position of the People Power Party and the floor leadership is that an apology should be made for Kim's remarks from the previous day," adding, "If the position is clarified, we will hold the Defense Committee meeting even in the afternoon." Kim responded, "I cannot apologize," and said, "It would be enough to correct the statement about allying with Japan, but demanding an apology as a counterattack is just an excuse." He emphasized, "I understand that Chairman Seong's position is because the party leadership instructed him, but security is important right now," adding, "Tensions with North Korea are escalating head-on, and accidents continue to occur in our military."
During the private meeting between Chairman Seong and Kim, a scene reminiscent of the dispute over the 'agreement between floor leaders' at the full meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 25th of last month was reenacted. Kim claimed, "The chairman unilaterally broke the agreement without consensus between the ruling and opposition parties," and said, "Since I was appointed as the floor leader for the Democratic Party, you should discuss with me." Chairman Seong retorted, "There is no floor leader, so who should I consult with?" In the first joint meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee last month, when People Power Party member Yoo Sang-beom claimed, "I did not discuss with the ruling party floor leader," Democratic Party member Jang Kyung-tae responded, "We have not yet appointed a ruling party floor leader, so what are you talking about?"
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