'July Extraordinary Session Tense'... Opposition Pressures 'Impeachment of I Jin-suk and Yellow Envelope Act'

On the 31st, the Democratic Party of Korea is considering immediately initiating impeachment proceedings against the newly appointed Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook on the 1st of next month if she approves the appointment of new directors for public broadcasters (KBS, MBC, EBS) on the same day.

Park Chan-dae, the Democratic Party floor leader, said at the morning Supreme Council meeting, "President Yoon Seok-yeol has ultimately appointed candidate Lee Jin-sook. It is difficult even to list the suspicions including far-right ideological labor union suppression, complicity in broadcasting control, breach of trust and embezzlement, and violations of the Anti-Graft Act," warning, "Start by immediately removing incompetent personnel and accept the 'Broadcasting Four Acts'." Spokesperson Han Min-soo also told reporters after the Supreme Council meeting, "If the appointment of the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation board members is made today, a plenary session will be held tomorrow."

The Democratic Party is closely monitoring Chairperson Lee’s potential appointment of directors. This is because the impeachment condition for the Chairperson lies in the approval of MBC director appointments. Depending on the timing of the director appointments, impeachment will be pursued through a plenary session. The Innovation Party also hinted at a 'speedy impeachment of Lee Jin-sook.' On the previous day, Representative Shin Jang-sik emphasized, "It is not only problematic to approve the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation board members, but even convening a meeting to approve them can be grounds for impeachment."

Candidate for Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, Lee Jin-sook, speaking
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Han Jong-chan = Lee Jin-sook, candidate for Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, is speaking at the confirmation hearing held on the 25th at the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee. 2024.7.25
saba@yna.co.kr
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There is also talk of the Democratic Party holding a temporary National Assembly session solely with their members on the 5th of next month to increase pressure. In this case, the schedule for handling the '25,000 KRW per person support bill for all citizens' and the 'Yellow Envelope Act (Partial Amendment to the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act)' currently being promoted by the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee is likely to change. Originally, the committee planned to process these two bills on this day and then submit them to the plenary session on the 1st. To hold the temporary session on the 5th, they could pressure National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik by using the processing of these two bills along with major livelihood bills such as the Nursing Act and the Jeonse Fraud Act as justification.

Depending on the Democratic Party’s schedule for impeaching Chairperson Lee, the '25,000 KRW per person support bill for all citizens' and the 'Yellow Envelope Act' may be postponed to the August temporary National Assembly session. When the Yellow Envelope Act is submitted to the plenary session, the People Power Party has announced plans to enforce a filibuster (unlimited debate), making it tight to process the bills in the July temporary session. A Democratic Party official said, "Depending on whether Chairperson Lee approves the director appointment plan, the timing of the plenary session and the processing of other bills are likely to be coordinated."