People Power Party files ethics complaint against Kim Yong-min in National Assembly for 'co-conspirator in rebellion' remark

On the 17th at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Kim said "Accomplice with Representative Choo Kyung-ho"
Ruling party states the remarks are unsubstantiated both factually and legally... "At least a right to defense"

The People Power Party filed a complaint with the National Assembly Ethics Committee on the 19th against Kim Yong-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who called its affiliated lawmakers 'co-conspirators of rebellion.'

Yonhap News

Park Soo-min, the floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, said to reporters after submitting the disciplinary proposal, "Representative Kim Yong-min made categorical statements about a rebellion that has not been substantively or legally confirmed, calling all fellow lawmakers 'accomplices and conspirators of rebellion,'" adding, "We judged that he crossed the legal and ethical lines, so we filed a complaint with the Ethics Committee."

On the 17th, during an urgent inquiry on the emergency martial law situation at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Representative Kim referred to members of the People Power Party as 'co-conspirators of rebellion' and said they 'conspired in the rebellion.' He told Cheon Dae-yeop, the head of the Court Administration Office, "Although I cannot specify who among the ruling party lawmakers, a considerable number conspired in this rebellion alongside Representative Chu Kyung-ho," and added, "They delayed the plenary session to lift martial law. There are such accomplices, ruling party lawmakers. Do not easily accept what these accomplices say." In response, ruling party lawmakers strongly protested with loud voices, demanding Kim's apology and the deletion of the transcript of his remarks, but Jung Cheong-rae, the Democratic Party member and chair of the Judiciary Committee, did not accept these demands. Eventually, the ruling party lawmakers protested vehemently and left the session, causing the Judiciary Committee to break down.

The People Power Party expressed that this Ethics Committee complaint is a minimum exercise of their right to defense. Park Hyung-soo, the senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "This case is not a political offensive but a minimum right to defense," adding, "We are not launching a preemptive political offensive against the Democratic Party. However, when political offensives that cross the ethical line without legal or substantive confirmation begin, we have no choice but to exercise our minimum right to defense."