[Impeachment of Yoon Seok-yeol] Democrats Target People Power Party for Advocating 'Martial Law' and 'Dismissal of Impeachment'

Jeong Cheong-rae: "Can We Forgive Those Who Support Rebellion?"
Supreme Council Member Kim Byung-joo Increases Pressure, Calls for Party Dissolution
Yoon Gun-young Proposes National Assembly Special Committee to Document December 3 Rebellion

After the dismissal ruling against former President Yoon Seok-yeol, the Democratic Party of Korea has been increasing pressure on the People Power Party. This is interpreted as holding them accountable for defending the December 3 emergency martial law incident and advocating for the Constitutional Court to dismiss or reject the impeachment of former President Yoon.

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is heading back to his seat after finishing his remarks at an emergency party meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 4th, when the Constitutional Court's ruling on the impeachment of former President Yoon Seok-yeol was announced. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Jeong Cheong-rae, chairman of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and a Democratic Party lawmaker who participated as a prosecutor on the National Assembly side in the impeachment trial of former President Yoon, quoted philosopher Albert Camus on Facebook on the 5th, saying, "The French Republic was not built on tolerance," and wrote, "Can we forgive traitors and supporters of rebellion?"

He added, "Does the rebel party have the right to participate in the presidential election? Should the rebel party be disbanded?" emphasizing, "It is time to ask fundamental questions about historical reckoning."

Lawmaker Yoon Gun-young proposed the formation of a special committee at the National Assembly level to document the December 3 rebellion. In his Facebook post that day, Yoon argued, "We must thoroughly record the first-ever personal guard coup in the history of the Republic of Korea," and "The records of the rebellion must be preserved and become history so that such events never happen again."

At the lawmakers' meeting held the previous day, floor leader Park Chan-dae stated, "The People Power Party bears an indelible great responsibility for defending Yoon Seok-yeol, sympathizing with the rebellion, and escalating the national crisis and social chaos," and demanded, "The number one party member Yoon Seok-yeol must be immediately expelled, and all affiliated lawmakers who participated in sympathizing with the rebellion must be disciplined."

Supreme Council member Kim Byung-joo asserted, "The forces that support the destruction of the constitutional order and sympathize with the rebellion, the People Power Party, must be disbanded," while Supreme Council member Jeon Hyun-hee criticized, "The People Power Party must sincerely apologize to the people for their behavior sympathizing with the rebellion so far and comply with the Constitutional Court's decision as promised."

However, party leader Lee Jae-myung has so far maintained a cautious stance, keeping some distance from the offensive against the People Power Party. Lee said, "This is a matter that all politicians, including myself, must deeply reflect on and feel responsible for," without making specific remarks about the People Power Party.