People Power Party files complaint against Choi Min-hee, Chair of the Science and ICT Committee, for abuse of authority over 'revocation of lawmaker's speaking rights'

"Abuse of Authority as Standing Committee Chairperson"

The People Power Party filed a complaint with the prosecution against Choi Min-hee, the chairperson of the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee from the Democratic Party, alleging that she deprived ruling party members of their speaking rights during the National Assembly’s inspection of the Ministry of Science and ICT.

On the 1st, the People Power Party stated in a press release, "We have reported Chairperson Choi to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office on charges of abuse of authority for prohibiting the speaking rights of People Power Party lawmaker Choi Su-jin during the inspection on the 24th of last month."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

During the inspection, Lawmaker Choi cited the evaluation of the National Assembly Inspection NGO Monitor Group, saying, "Chairperson Choi accounts for 19.89% of the total speaking time in the entire Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee inspection. Each person can judge whether this is excessive abuse of power." In response, Chairperson Choi demanded an apology for the term "abuse of power," and when Lawmaker Choi refused, she deprived her of the right to speak.

The People Power Party argued, "As the standing committee chairperson, Chairperson Choi abused her authority by obstructing Lawmaker Choi’s exercise of speaking rights, deliberation rights, and inspection authority. Not only did she degrade the dignity and function of the committee through arbitrary management and excessive use of speaking time, but she also engaged in a constitutionally destructive act by prohibiting even the content of fellow lawmakers’ speeches."

They added, "We request strict punishment of the accused to uphold the Constitution of the Republic of Korea and protect parliamentary democracy."