With "Lee Jae-myung asks, 'Are you five murderers?'"
Likely little impact on the passage of livelihood bills
Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Hyun-hee's description of First Lady Kim Keon-hee as a murderer during the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's prosecutor impeachment hearing sparked a conflict between the ruling and opposition parties, escalating into a fierce battle over 'submission of a motion to expel the lawmaker' and 'counter-expulsion efforts,' rapidly cooling the political atmosphere.
Park Chan-dae, acting leader of the Democratic Party and floor leader, criticized the state discipline on the 16th at a Kwanhun Club invitation debate held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, saying, "A tragic incident occurred where a public official at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, distressed by pressure from a superior demanding the closure of the luxury bag case, took their own life," indicating that national order is being shaken.
Park's repeated mention of the death of a senior official at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, who was investigating allegations of First Lady Kim's receipt of luxury bags, is interpreted as a defense of lawmaker Jeon, who has been under attack from the ruling party.
Earlier, on the 14th, during the Legislation and Judiciary Committee hearing, lawmaker Jeon claimed a connection between the death of Kim Mo, the acting director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, and the closure of the First Lady's luxury bag case, stating, "Kim Keon-hee is a murderer," and "Kim Keon-hee and Yoon Seok-yeol killed the director," sparking controversy. In response, the People Power Party submitted a resolution to the National Assembly calling for Jeon's expulsion, signed by all 108 party members.
The People Power Party's leadership as well as individual lawmakers have issued statements and launched offensives. Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, after attending the Liberation Day celebration at the Sejong Center in Seoul the previous day, told reporters, "No matter how much of a politician one is, not many would sympathize with such remarks," adding, "The party took necessary measures."
Lawmaker Kang Myung-gu, former Secretary for National Policy Planning at the Presidential Office, also mentioned on Facebook the names of five people who died after allegations involving former leader Lee, including the Daejang-dong scandal, lawyer fee payments, and corporate card misuse, then asked, "If you are a member of the National Assembly, is it acceptable to violate human rights, and if you are the president, is it acceptable to have your human rights violated?" and challenged, "I ask lawmaker Jeon: Is former leader Lee 'a murderer of five people'?"
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party demanded an apology from People Power Party lawmaker Song Seok-jun, who told Jeon, "Reflect on yourself first; do you bear no guilt in that person's death?" and announced plans to push for a motion to expel him in retaliation.
As relations between the ruling and opposition parties rapidly deteriorate, political circles are focusing on whether this will affect the atmosphere for processing long-awaited consensus-driven livelihood bills. However, since both sides have agreed to handle bills without prior disagreements, there is speculation that political strife and bill processing will be separated.
Previously, Bae Jun-young, senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, and Park Sung-jun, senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party, agreed to hold a plenary session on the 28th to process non-contentious livelihood bills. A ruling party official said, "Since activities in each standing committee and bill reviews are ongoing, there is a strong sentiment that discussions on livelihood bills should continue (regardless of political strife)."
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