Na Kyung-won on Lee Jae-myung's Mention of 'Bloodshed': "A Very Malicious and Dangerous Remark"

Na Kyung-won Strongly Criticizes Lee Jae-myung's "Bloody Incident" Remark
"Incitement to Rebellion and Pressure on the Constitutional Court... Extremely Dangerous"
"Constitutional Court Must Show It Is the Last Bastion of the Rule of Law"

Na Kyung-won, a member of the People Power Party, criticized Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 2nd for his remark about a "bloody incident," calling it "a very malicious statement." After holding a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office to appeal for the dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial, Na said of Lee's remark, "It is a statement that should not have been made."

Na Kyung-won, a member of the People Power Party, is holding a press conference on current issues including the impeachment trial verdict of President Yoon Seok-yeol at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 2nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Na stated, "(Lee's remark) has two meanings: one is a kind of incitement to a bloody incident," adding, "Ultimately, when the results he wants do not come out, he is telling everyone to prepare for a bloody incident, a kind of riot, which I consider incitement to rebellion. It is very dangerous." She continued, "The second is a statement that seriously pressures and threatens the Constitutional Court," explaining, "Because the Constitutional Court is the intersection of politics and law. It is not purely a legal judgment; there is also a political judgment involved. That political judgment will ultimately be made in terms of national interest or national stability."

Na emphasized, "Looking at the state of confusion whether the impeachment is accepted or dismissed, I think the threat of tremendous national chaos if the impeachment is dismissed was used as a kind of pressure tactic," and added, "I think it is a very malicious and very dangerous statement."

She said, "The Democratic Party, blinded by the desire to seize power, ignored the procedures and checks and balances set by the Constitution and laws, shaking the foundation of parliamentary democracy with a one-party dictatorship mindset," calling it "a direct challenge to the constitutional spirit of the separation of powers." She continued, "If the Constitutional Court accepts the opposition party's mob-style impeachment, which is close to incitement to rebellion, it will set a terrible precedent that any future government could have its administration paralyzed by political offensives from the majority opposition party at any time," raising her voice, "This is not the rule of law but the victory of 'mob rule,' and it means the collapse of constitutional order."

She added, "We must consider the procedural legitimacy of the impeachment process, the substantive truth of the grounds for impeachment, and above all, the catastrophic potential harm to national interests that acceptance of the impeachment could bring," urging, "In the face of a crisis where legislative rampage threatens to engulf the entire Free Republic of Korea, the Constitutional Court must show that it is the last bastion of the rule of law."

Lee Jae-myung: "Can you handle a bloody incident if Yoon returns?"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is heading to the Gwanghwamun tent party office after concluding a closed supreme council meeting at the National Assembly on the 2nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Earlier, on the 31st of last month, before the Constitutional Court set a date for the ruling on President Yoon's impeachment trial, Lee warned, "There are reports that a project to restore President Yoon Suk-yeol is underway," adding, "If Yoon Suk-yeol actually returns, it will become a matter concerning the survival of the Republic of Korea." He said, "Yoon's return would mean a second martial law, and the people will resist, making clashes unavoidable," and continued, "Think about the tremendous chaos and sacrifices that could arise then. When Gwangju, a single region, was isolated during the May 18 incident, the damage was severe, but how could we possibly handle the tremendous chaos and bloody incident that would occur if the entire country, including the capital Seoul, were exposed to military martial law and the people resisted?"

In response, Kwon Young-se, chairman of the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee, also criticized on the 2nd, saying, "The Democratic Party's refusal to accept the Constitutional Court's decision and mention of a bloody incident is effectively an act of rebellion that encourages the destruction of the constitutional order." He pointed out, "Lee Jae-myung even shamelessly made the outrageous remark that 'a bloody incident could occur if the president returns.' This is something that cannot be seen as the words or actions of a political leader who talks about democracy."

Chairman Kwon stated, "The People Power Party has clearly expressed that regardless of the outcome, it will respect and accept the judgment of constitutional institutions," and urged, "The Democratic Party should now, regardless of political gains or losses, declare to the public that it will uphold the constitutional order and fully accept the Constitutional Court's judgment."