'Ruling Party's Nominee' Han Seok-hoon Human Rights Commissioner Appointment Rejected... National Assembly Plenary Session in Chaos

The proposal to elect Professor Han Seok-hoon of Sungkyunkwan University School of Law as a non-standing member of the National Human Rights Commission was rejected at the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 26th.

According to the National Assembly, the proposal to elect Commissioner Han was rejected with 119 votes in favor, 173 against, and 6 abstentions out of 298 members present. It is analyzed that the opposition party cast a large number of opposing votes against the candidate recommended by the ruling party.

Unlike the proposal for Commissioner Han, the proposal to elect Lee Suk-jin, former Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family, recommended by the opposition, as a standing member of the Human Rights Commission was approved with 281 votes in favor, 14 against, and 3 abstentions out of 298 members present.

The People Power Party strongly opposed the rejection of Professor Han's election as a human rights commissioner and demanded an adjournment. The party claims that although a prior agreement was made between the ruling and opposition floor leaders to elect one candidate each recommended by the ruling and opposition parties, the Democratic Party overturned this agreement.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response to the ruling party's continuous loud protests and jeers, Speaker Woo Won-shik requested, "If there are any special discussions regarding this issue, please have the floor leaders and senior members of both parties meet and then convey the results."

Previously, a prior agreement was made between the ruling and opposition floor leaders to elect one candidate each recommended by the ruling and opposition parties, but the People Power Party claims that the Democratic Party overturned this fundamental agreement.

When the Democratic Party countered by saying it was a "free vote of the members," the plenary session was eventually adjourned around 3:15 p.m.