"Presidential Debate Sexual Remarks Damage Lawmaker's Dignity"
The number of participants in the National Assembly public petition demanding the removal of Reform New Party lawmaker Junseok Lee from his parliamentary seat has surpassed 350,000 as of 11:00 a.m. Public criticism over Lee's inappropriate remarks referencing the female body during the last presidential election TV debate shows no signs of abating.
According to the status of the National Assembly's online petition platform on June 8, as of 11:00 a.m. that day, the petition titled "Petition for the Expulsion of Lawmaker Junseok Lee" had garnered support from approximately 350,000 people. Since the petition was made public on the 4th, it received an enthusiastic response, surpassing 100,000 signatures within just one day.
Reform New Party lawmaker Junseok Lee is attending the 21st President Jae-myung Lee inauguration ceremony held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News
Under current regulations, if a petition receives more than 50,000 endorsements, it is automatically referred to the relevant standing committee. However, the specific committee to review the petition has not yet been determined.
The petitioner argued, "During the third debate, while all citizens were watching, Lee committed verbal sexual violence by using language depicting violence against the female body to attack his opponent. This statement is unprecedented in constitutional history, as it uses a woman's body as a tool for political attack."
The petitioner further emphasized, "The inappropriate and violent language used during the debate, as well as Lee's irresponsible attitude in justifying his actions afterward, have seriously undermined the trust of sovereign citizens and damaged the dignity of the National Assembly."
Subsequently, on June 5, after the Reform New Party's election campaign headquarters disbandment ceremony at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Lee told reporters, "I thought that referencing the female body was necessary during the candidate vetting process." He added, "Honestly, I did not expect so many people to feel offended. If I could go back to the debate, I would not make the same remarks. From now on, I will be more careful with my expressions."
To expel a lawmaker from the National Assembly, approval from at least two-thirds of all sitting members is required. To date, there has been no precedent for a lawmaker being expelled from office.
Meanwhile, on June 6, Lee announced via a Facebook post, "As of the 4th, I have exceeded this year's National Assembly fundraising limit of 300 million won. I will repay your valuable support with politics I am not ashamed of."
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