"What Crime Does the Acting Prime Minister Have!"... Chaos in the National Assembly Over Han Deok-su Impeachment Vote [On-site]

Impeachment Vote on Han Deok-su Sparks 'Bench Clearing' Between Ruling and Opposition Parties
People Power Party Shouts "Speaker Resign"... Woo Won-sik Unmoved
Opposition Votes Calmly... "Nae-ran-dang OUT" Placards Also Seen

On the 27th, the National Assembly held a plenary session and proceeded with the vote on the impeachment motion against Acting President and Prime Minister Han Deok-su. Unlike the calm vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol, the National Assembly was marred by loud shouting and physical altercations between the ruling and opposition parties that day.

On the 27th, members of the People Power Party strongly protested Speaker Woo Won-sik during the plenary session of the National Assembly where the motion to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was submitted, raising issues about the required quorum for the impeachment motion to pass (majority approval of all members). Photo by Kim Hyun-min

From the moment Speaker Woo Won-sik submitted the impeachment motion to the plenary session, loud voices were exchanged. People Power Party (PPP) members shouted protests at Speaker Woo and the opposition party, arguing that there was no reason to impeach Acting President Han. PPP lawmaker Im I-ja shouted, "What crime has the Acting President committed!"

Park Sung-jun, the senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), began explaining the proposal for the impeachment motion, but his remarks were drowned out by the shouting between the parties. When Park compared President Yoon's declaration of martial law to a rebellion, the PPP side shouted, "What rebellion? Speak properly!" In response, the DPK side shouted back, "Listen!" and "Disband the rebel party!" The PPP retorted with, "Lee Jae-myung is the ringleader of the rebellion!"

The conflict exploded when Speaker Woo announced the quorum criteria for the vote. At around 4:04 p.m., Speaker Woo declared that the quorum for the impeachment vote against Acting President Han was a majority of the total members, that is, 151 seats. PPP members surged toward the speaker's podium. People Power Party acting floor leader and parliamentary leader Kwon Seong-dong and PPP lawmaker Kwak Gyu-taek pointed fingers at Speaker Woo from beyond the podium in protest. Democratic Party members also rushed to the podium. During this process, Democratic floor leader Park Chan-dae, lawmaker Kwak, PPP lawmaker Kang Myung-gu, and DPK lawmaker Kim Yong-man pushed each other, resulting in a physical scuffle. It resembled a 'bench-clearing' fight among teammates during a baseball game.

Speaker Woo Won-shik is announcing the passage of the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo at the National Assembly plenary session on the 27th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Speaker Woo, stating that the matter had already been reviewed, proceeded to the vote. The opposition applauded, while the ruling party shouted slogans. PPP members alternated slogans such as "Null and void!" "Resign, Speaker!" and "Abuse of power!" while pumping their arms. Lawmaker Im struck the podium with her hand and pointed at Speaker Woo. Lawmaker Kwak waved two fingers at Speaker Woo, apparently protesting that the quorum should be 200 seats, not 151. Speaker Woo remained seated at the podium without any movement.

When Speaker Woo stood up to vote and the podium was empty, PPP members continued shouting. PPP lawmaker Park Su-min held up a copy of the 'Constitutional Court Act' in protest. However, PPP lawmaker Kim Sang-wook, who had announced he would abstain, did not pump his arms but sat on his seat watching them.

The opposition took their time voting while watching the ruling party members. DPK lawmaker Noh Jong-myeon filmed the PPP members shouting slogans with his smartphone. DPK lawmaker Min Hyung-bae stood next to the podium holding a placard that read "People Power Party, Out for Rebellion." Occasionally, members of the Innovation Party shouted slogans calling for the "Dissolution of the People Power Party!"

On the afternoon of the 27th, members of the People Power Party protested Speaker Woo Won-sik by holding up the "Constitutional Court Act" during the vote on the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo at the National Assembly plenary session. Photo by Yonhap News

After finishing the vote and returning, Speaker Woo asked the PPP members, "Are you not voting?" When the PPP members only shouted slogans, Speaker Woo announced that he would finish voting and proceed to count the votes. As the counting began, PPP members immediately started leaving the plenary hall. It was only 20 minutes after the protest slogans began. Even the PPP members who stayed behind to protest left the plenary hall en masse at Acting Leader Kwon's gesture to leave.

After the People Power Party left the plenary hall, the counting proceeded quietly. Speaker Woo declared that the impeachment motion against Acting President Han was passed with 192 votes in favor out of 192 total votes. Opposition members welcomed the voting results with applause without any further remarks.