Kukhim, Including Choo Kyung-ho and 91 Others, Abstain from Vote
Confusion Arises Over Venue Change for Yeo Lawmakers' Meeting
About three hours after President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law, the National Assembly convened a plenary session on the morning of the 4th and passed a 'Resolution Demanding the Lifting of Martial Law' with unanimous approval from all members present. Of the total 300 members of the National Assembly, 190 attended the session. Most of the 110 members who could not attend were reportedly blocked from entering the National Assembly due to control by the military and police.
Since President Yoon's declaration of martial law was sudden and late at night, some members who stayed in their constituencies could not return to the National Assembly in time, and some were delayed in entering the Assembly due to police and military personnel blocking access. On the other hand, some members voluntarily abstained from voting, unlike the earlier members.
About six hours after President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law, the National Assembly held a plenary session on the morning of the 4th and passed the "Resolution Demanding the Lifting of Martial Law" with the unanimous approval of all members present. A total of 190 out of 300 members of the National Assembly attended the plenary session that day. Yonhap News
Among them, Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the People Power Party, summoned party members to the National Assembly around 11:06 p.m. on the 3rd. However, the meeting location was soon changed to the Yeouido Central Party Office, several hundred meters away from the National Assembly. As a result, about 50 People Power Party members who stayed at the Central Party Office could not attend the vote on lifting martial law held at the National Assembly. Meanwhile, 18 People Power Party members, including Cho Kyung-tae, Kim Sang-wook, Woo Jae-joon, and Kim Yong-tae, who went to the National Assembly plenary hall with Han Dong-hoon, the party leader, attended the vote and unanimously voted in favor of lifting martial law.
When criticism arose that "only People Power Party members were not allowed in," Floor Leader Choo said, "We tried to enter but eventually could not, so we went to the party office," adding, "We kept waiting to communicate with the members about this matter, and my decision to abstain was my own judgment." Ahn Cheol-soo, who was waiting at the party office, said, "When I went to the party office after receiving the floor notice, no one was there, and even after arriving, Floor Leader Choo was not in the plenary hall," adding, "About 50 people gathered at the party office with no information and no contact, endlessly waiting and just watching television."
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law in an emergency statement on the night of the 3rd. In the early morning of the 4th, at the National Assembly plenary session in Yeouido, Seoul, lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties passed a resolution demanding the lifting of martial law with 190 members present and 190 votes in favor. Yonhap News
Regarding this, Kim Sang-wook, a People Power Party member, said, "They keep confusing members by not allowing them to enter the National Assembly," adding, "Leader Han thinks it must be lifted unconditionally, and we agree. I don't know what Floor Leader Choo's purpose was in going to the party office, but he is diverting the issue," expressing frustration. He continued, "It is regrettable that we could not participate in the vote due to internal confusion," and said, "Most members oppose martial law, so it would have been desirable if everyone had participated in the vote."
Lee Jun-seok Unable to Attend Plenary Session Due to Restricted Access to National Assembly
Rep. Lee Jun-seok of the Reform New Party was unable to attend the plenary session due to being blocked from entering the National Assembly. He strongly protested toward the martial law troops blocking his entry, saying, "This is illegal martial law, and you say it can't be held under emergency martial law? This is treason. Open it quickly. If you vote now, it's treason. Take photos, I’m taking all of them. Arrest this XX." Photo by MBC News
Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform New Party, was blocked from entering the National Assembly and could not attend the plenary session. He strongly protested against the martial law troops blocking access, saying, "This is illegal martial law, and you say it cannot be held under martial law? This is treason. Open it quickly. If you vote now, it is treason. Take pictures, take all the pictures. Arrest these bastards." He continued, "This is obstruction of official duties. They are obstructing a member of the National Assembly from performing official duties," raising his voice, "Aren't you public officials? What orders are you following to act like this? Is it reasonable that a member of the National Assembly cannot enter the National Assembly?"
Unlike Lee, who was blocked by police at the main gate, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, reportedly climbed over the National Assembly wall to enter the premises. While urgently moving by vehicle, upon arriving at the National Assembly, Lee bypassed the police-controlled entrance and climbed over the wall to enter the National Assembly grounds. Lee was seen climbing the wall with a camera, and this was broadcast live on YouTube.
Unlike Representative Lee, who was blocked by the police at the main gate, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, reportedly climbed over the National Assembly wall and entered the premises. While urgently moving in a vehicle, Lee entered the National Assembly grounds by climbing over the wall instead of using the police-controlled entrance upon arrival. Online community
Meanwhile, the National Assembly's vote to lift martial law was held less than three hours after President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law. Earlier, around 10:20 p.m. on the 3rd, President Yoon held an emergency briefing at the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, stating, "I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the shameless pro-North anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to uphold the free constitutional order."
President Yoon mentioned the multiple impeachment motions led by the Democratic Party and the next year's budget reduction bill passed solely by the opposition in the National Assembly's Budget and Accounts Special Committee, saying, "This is a clear anti-state act plotting rebellion by trampling on the constitutional order of the free Republic of Korea and disrupting legitimate state institutions established under the Constitution and law," and declared martial law. Martial law was declared for the first time in 43 years since January 1981.
List of Members Who Abstained from Voting
▲People Power Party (91 members) = Kang Dae-sik, Kang Myung-gu, Kang Min-guk, Kang Sun-young, Kang Seung-gyu, Ko Dong-jin, Koo Ja-geun, Kwon Seong-dong, Kwon Young-se, Kwon Young-jin, Kim Geon, Kim Ki-woong, Kim Ki-hyun, Kim Dae-sik, Kim Do-eup, Kim Mi-ae, Kim Min-jeon, Kim Sang-hoon, Kim Seok-gi, Kim Seon-kyo, Kim So-hee, Kim Seung-soo, Kim Ye-ji, Kim Wi-sang, Kim Eun-hye, Kim Jang-gyeom, Kim Jeong-jae, Kim Jong-yang, Kim Tae-ho, Kim Hee-jung, Na Kyung-won, Park Dae-chul, Park Deok-heum, Park Sang-woong, Park Sung-min, Park Seong-hoon, Park Soo-young, Park Jun-tae, Park Chung-kwon, Park Hyung-soo, Bae Jun-young, Bae Hyun-jin, Baek Jong-heon, Seo Myeong-ok, Seo Il-jun, Seo Ji-young, Seo Cheon-ho, Seong Il-jong, Song Seok-jun, Song Eon-seok, Shin Dong-wook, Ahn Sang-hoon, Ahn Cheol-soo, Eom Tae-young, Yoo Sang-beom, Yoo Young-ha, Yoo Yong-won, Yoon Sang-hyun, Yoon Young-seok, Yoon Jae-ok, Yoon Jong-oh, Yoon Han-hong, Lee Dal-hee, Lee Man-hee, Lee Sang-hwi, Lee Seong-gwon, Lee Yang-su, Lee In-seon, Lee Jong-bae, Lee Jong-wook, Lee Cheol-gyu, Lee Heon-seung, In Yo-han, Lim Yi-ja, Lim Jong-deuk, Jeong Dong-man, Jeong Jeom-sik, Jeong Hee-yong, Jo Bae-sook, Jo Seung-hwan, Jo Eun-hee, Jo Jeong-hoon, Jo Ji-yeon, Joo Ho-young, Jin Jong-oh, Choi Bo-yoon, Choi Su-jin, Choi Eun-seok, Choi Hyung-doo, Chu Kyung-ho, Han Ki-ho
▲Reform New Party (2 members) = Lee Jun-seok, Lee Ju-young
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