Tension Over Outdoor Rally Attendance
Opposition: "300,000 Participants" VS Ruling Party: "Around 15,000"
On the 3rd, the People Power Party urged the Democratic Party of Korea to "regain their sanity and return to the National Assembly" in response to the large-scale outdoor rally held by the Democratic Party the previous day, which pressured the government and ruling party to accept the 'Special Prosecutor Law for First Lady Kim Keon-hee.'
On the same day, Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho said at a press briefing at the National Assembly, "Everyone knows that the special prosecutor was just a slogan at yesterday's outdoor rally, and the real purpose was solely to shield Representative Lee Jae-myung."
Floor Leader Choo criticized, "If the intention was not to pressure the prosecution and judiciary through public opinion warfare, there would be no reason for the ruling party with a majority of seats to take to the streets. This brazen rampage to protect Representative Lee only strengthens the public's presumption of guilt."
He added, "Like ordinary citizens, they should quietly await the verdict on Representative Lee. That is the proper attitude to uphold democracy and the rule of law."
When asked about the opposition party's response to the outdoor rallies, Floor Leader Choo replied, "I will gather and consider the opinions of several lawmakers," and reiterated, "We strongly condemn the Democratic Party's unconstitutional schemes aimed at ousting the president."
Regarding the Democratic Party's consideration of further disclosure of the 'Myeong Tae-gyun audio recordings,' he questioned, "If the recordings are used for political strife, when will the National Assembly take care of people's livelihoods and security?" He demanded, "This is not a 40-episode drama targeting ratings. If you have obtained the recordings, disclose them quickly."
Secretary-General Seo Beom-su, at the briefing, refuted the Democratic Party's self-estimate of about 300,000 participants at the rally, saying, "According to Seoul city urban data, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. the previous day, the number of people was between 26,000 and 28,000. Usually (on weekends), about 13,000 people are recorded." He added, "Approximately 15,000 people gathered at the rally." He further claimed that the rally was "essentially a competition of loyalty toward Representative Lee. It was merely a relocation of the shield venue from the National Assembly to the streets," urging the opposition to stop outdoor protests and cooperate on livelihood policies.
Floor Spokesperson Park Joon-tae commented, "Representative Lee tried to hide the rally's purpose by mentioning the April 19 Revolution and others, but comparing solemn historical facts with a shield rally to cover personal misconduct is a shameless act," and strongly urged the Democratic Party to reflect and engage in responsible politics. Spokesperson Jung Kwang-jae also stated in a commentary, "The Democratic Party should not just shout about people's livelihoods but fulfill their duties in the National Assembly, not on the asphalt streets."
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