Choo Kyung-ho on Opposition's Impeachment Offensive: "We Must Impeach the Rumor-Mongering Forces"

'Counterattack' to Park Chandae who mentioned 'Yoon Seok-yeol dictatorship'
Choo Kyung-ho calls the opposition's martial law allegations "rumors"
Repeated impeachment and special prosecutor bills called "legislative manipulation"

On the 5th, Chu Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, fiercely criticized the Democratic Party of Korea, which raised various suspicions including government personnel impeachment, Fukushima contaminated water, and martial law preparations, saying, "If impeachment is to be done, shouldn't it be those forces that plunge the Republic of Korea into confusion and division with such false rumors and scare tactics that should be impeached?" He directly criticized Park Chan-dae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who hinted at impeachment in his previous day’s negotiation group representative speech by mentioning 'President Yoon Suk-yeol's dictatorship' and 'unfortunate precedent.' Although the leaders of both parties emphasized the need to unite for the recovery of people’s livelihoods, the sharp exchanges between the floor leaders are expected to affect cooperation as well.

In the negotiation group representative speech at the National Assembly plenary session that morning, Floor Leader Chu claimed, "When the Democratic Party started spreading scare tactics, some broadcasts controlled by left-wing forces became loudspeakers and widely disseminated them, and the damage ultimately fell on the people." He also mentioned the Democratic Party as being behind various rumors raised during the mad cow disease controversy related to U.S. beef, the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), and the Sewol ferry disaster, including electromagnetic wave rumors and submarine sinking theories.

Floor Leader Chu also said, "The Democratic Party filed an impeachment motion against the prosecutors investigating Representative Lee Jae-myung," calling it "an unprecedented legislative outrage and judicial manipulation that shakes the rule of law from its foundation, where a criminal suspect tries to impeach the investigating prosecutors," raising his voice against legislative dictatorship. Addressing Representative Lee, he said, "Let the Democratic Party break free from the shackles of a bulletproof party. Respond to investigations and trials confidently on an individual level," and added, "Instead, the Democratic Party must escape the quagmire of a bulletproof party captured for the sake of just one person, Representative Lee."

Chu Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, is delivering a negotiation group representative speech at the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Floor Leader Chu pledged to promote protection for vulnerable groups for livelihood stability, support for small business owners and self-employed individuals, youth support, and tax burden relief such as inheritance tax and financial investment income tax (FIIT) for the middle class, as well as to foster national advanced industries like artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, and respond to crises such as climate change and regional extinction. He also mentioned the necessity of pursuing four major reforms in education, pensions, labor, and healthcare. Regarding this, he urged, "What greater value is there than the people's livelihood? What is more important than protecting the lives and safety of the people?" and appealed, "Let's stop political strife that has nothing to do with the people's lives."

Although Floor Leaders Park and Chu each called for cooperation in their negotiation group representative speeches, they also took sharp stances against the opposing party, so considerable friction is expected in the upcoming regular session and future bill discussions. When Floor Leader Park criticized President Yoon the previous day, ruling party lawmakers strongly opposed, saying things like "That's too much," "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones," and "What are you doing while saying you want cooperation?" At that time, Floor Spokesperson Park Jun-tae criticized in a verbal comment, "It is an irresponsible attitude that forgets the role of the major opposition party and shifts all responsibility to the government and ruling party."

During Floor Leader Chu’s speech that day, loud voices were also heard from opposition lawmakers’ seats. In response, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik temporarily suspended Chu’s speech and urged, "The people are all watching, and there are many audience members watching," and "Even if opinions differ, please listen attentively." Among the audience attending the plenary session to listen to Floor Leader Chu’s speech were members of the Dangjin Songsan-myeon Development Committee from Chungnam and students from Gajang Elementary School in Seo-gu, Daejeon.

On the 2nd, members of the National Assembly are taking the oath at the opening ceremony of the 22nd National Assembly and the 418th National Assembly (regular session) held in the main chamber of the National Assembly. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@