Failure to Elect NHRC Commissioner Recommended by Ruling Party
Presidential Office Criticizes as "Unacceptable"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at a meeting hosted by the Korean Residents Union in Japan held on the 24th at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 26th, the Presidential Office referred to the automatic dismissal of the so-called 'Broadcasting 4 Acts,' 'Nationwide 250,000 Won Support Act,' and 'Yellow Envelope Act' after being rejected in the National Assembly plenary session re-vote as "just deserts," and urged the Democratic Party of Korea to "focus on handling livelihood bills."
A senior official from the Presidential Office explained in the afternoon, "These bills were unilaterally processed without sufficient consultation between the ruling and opposition parties and without social consensus," and added, "We hope the opposition party will stop forcibly pushing unconstitutional and illegal bills repeatedly."
He continued, "In some re-votes on cash handout bills, the opposition votes against exceeded the number of People Power Party members," and pointed out, "There were also dissenting votes from within the opposition."
He further stated, "Some opposition lawmakers also acknowledged the problems of these unconstitutional bad laws and expressed concerns," adding, "This rejection means that parliamentary democracy is still functioning."
The official added, "We hope the Democratic Party will stop the 'vicious cycle of political strife' for party interests and focus on handling livelihood bills."
The National Assembly held a plenary session that day and re-voted on six bills by secret ballot, but all were rejected.
Since President Yoon Seok-yeol had exercised his veto on these bills earlier, a re-approval required a majority of the total members present and at least two-thirds approval of those present.
The Democratic Party has expressed its intention to reintroduce the dismissed bills, so it is expected that the veto political situation of 'opposition party's sole promotion → presidential veto → bill dismissal' will repeat.
On the afternoon of the 26th, members of the People Power Party shouted slogans condemning the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, who held a protest rally after leaving the plenary session hall when the re-vote agenda was rejected at the National Assembly plenary session. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Meanwhile, in the plenary session that day, the National Assembly put forward the nomination of Han Seok-hoon, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University School of Law, as a non-standing member of the National Human Rights Commission for a secret ballot vote, but it was rejected.
The nomination of Han Seok-hoon, recommended by the ruling party, was rejected with 119 votes in favor, 173 against, and 6 abstentions out of 298 members present. It appears that a large number of opposition members voted against.
On the other hand, the nomination of Lee Suk-jin, former Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family, recommended by the Democratic Party, for 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.
Regarding this, a senior official from the Presidential Office said, "This is something unprecedented and unthinkable in any previous National Assembly," and added, "We will observe the dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties going forward."
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