At the Election Campaign Headquarters Disbandment Ceremony, Lee Reiterates Apology for His Remarks
Expulsion of a Member Requires Approval of at Least Two-Thirds of the National Assembly
A national petition demanding the expulsion of Lee Junseok, a member of the Reform New Party, from the National Assembly has nearly reached 400,000 signatures. Even after the 6·3 presidential election, the controversy surrounding Lee's inappropriate remarks referencing women's bodies during a televised debate in the recent presidential race has not subsided. As of 10:56 PM on June 9, the petition titled "Petition Regarding the Expulsion of Congressman Lee Junseok," which was posted on the National Assembly's Public Consent Petition board on June 4, had garnered the consent of 397,967 people.
Lee Junseok, the presidential candidate of the Reform New Party, arrived at the party's vote counting room set up in the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 3rd after checking the exit poll announcements from the three major broadcasters and is expressing his thoughts. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
The petitioner, identified as A, explained the purpose of the petition by stating, "During the third debate, Representative Lee committed verbal sexual violence by describing violence against women's bodies in order to attack his opponent, all while being watched by the entire nation." The petitioner further argued, "Such remarks, which use women's bodies as tools for political attack, are unprecedented in our constitutional history."
The petitioner continued, "The inappropriate and violent language used during the debate, as well as his irresponsible attitude in justifying his actions afterward, have greatly undermined the trust of sovereign citizens and damaged the dignity expected of a National Assembly member." The petitioner added, "In accordance with Article 155, Clause 16 of the National Assembly Act (Disciplinary Action), I petition for the expulsion of Representative Lee Junseok for violating the law." If a petition receives more than 50,000 consents within 30 days of being made public, it is considered valid. Accordingly, the National Assembly is expected to discuss whether to expel Lee in the future. However, the specific committee responsible for reviewing the case has not yet been determined. Expulsion of a National Assembly member requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the Assembly.
On the 9th, the petition titled "Petition Regarding the Expulsion of Congressman Lee Junseok" posted on the National Assembly's Public Consent Petition board on the 4th had gained the consent of 397,967 people as of 10:56 PM. Public Consent Petition website
Previously, as controversy over his remarks intensified, Lee issued a public apology to Reform New Party members via text message on May 30, stating, "I have disappointed many people with my inappropriate expression, and I deeply apologize to everyone who was hurt by the level of my remarks." As the controversy continued, Lee told reporters after the Reform New Party's election campaign headquarters disbandment ceremony at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on June 5, "I thought the reference to a woman's body was necessary in the candidate verification process," but added, "To be honest, I did not expect that so many people would be offended. If I could go back to the debate, I would not make the same remarks."
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