Jeong to Visit Leaders of Cho Kuk Innovation, Progressive, Social Democratic, and Basic Income Parties
People Power Party and Reform Party Not Included in Schedule
On Kim Eo-jun's YouTube, "People Power Party Deserves Dissolution Ten or Even a Hundred Times"
On August 5, Jeong Cheongrae, the newly appointed leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, will pay courtesy visits to leaders of progressive parties represented in the National Assembly, including the Cho Kuk Innovation Party and the Progressive Party. The People Power Party and the Reform Party are excluded from the list of visits for the day, raising expectations that the political situation will move toward a phase of extreme confrontation.
Starting from the morning of August 5, Jeong plans to visit the Speaker of the National Assembly, Woo Wonshik, followed by the leaders of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, the Progressive Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Basic Income Party, each in turn.
The People Power Party and the Reform Party are not included in Jeong's schedule for opposition party leader visits, and the timing for such meetings remains undecided. This reflects Jeong's negative stance toward "cooperation" with the People Power Party, which has continued a filibuster related to the Broadcasting Three Laws since the previous day, and is consistent with his calls for "eradicating insurrection" since his candidacy. Additionally, this move is interpreted as an intention to pressure the conservative bloc through the unity of the progressive camp and to strengthen efforts to pass legislative bills.
On the same day, Jeong appeared on Kim Eo-jun's YouTube program "News Factory," where he strongly criticized the People Power Party, stating, "A handshake is something you do with a person." He asserted, "Eradicating insurrection comes before cooperation. Yoon Sukyeol (the former president) who instigated the rebellion was a member of the People Power Party," and argued, "Does the People Power Party not bear collective responsibility for Yoon's declaration of martial law and rebellion?"
He continued, "I did not think it appropriate to shake hands with people who advocate 'Yoon Again' (a slogan calling for the former president's return to office) and who are divided between supporting or opposing impeachment. A handshake is done with people; can those people even be called people?" he criticized.
Previously, in his acceptance speech at the party convention on August 2, Jeong declared, "We are at war with insurrection right now; this is not a matter of ruling and opposition parties. Unless there is first an apology and reflection, I will not shake hands with them."
He also hinted at the possibility of filing a petition for the dissolution of the People Power Party as an unconstitutional party. Jeong pointed out, "The Unified Progressive Party was dissolved on charges of conspiracy to commit insurrection. In this case, an actual insurrection occurred," and added, "Compared to the Unified Progressive Party case, I believe the People Power Party deserves to be dissolved ten or even a hundred times over."
Jeong will not meet Lee Junseok, the newly elected leader of the Reform Party, on this day. Given that Lee, who was recently elected, has stated he would immediately cooperate if a request for the arrest of Kim Keonhee is sent, it appears Jeong does not recognize him as a negotiation partner.
Jeong also expressed opposition to forming the National Assembly's Special Ethics Committee with equal representation?six members each from the Democratic Party and the People Power Party. The Ethics Committee, according to the National Assembly Act, is a body that reviews disciplinary actions against lawmakers based on the recommendations of the Ethics Review Advisory Committee. On July 29, the National Assembly Steering Committee agreed to form the Ethics Committee with six members each from the Democratic Party and the People Power Party.
Jeong explained, "Looking at the rules for forming the Ethics Committee, in the past, excluding the chairperson, the numbers were equal, so with the chairperson, it became 7 to 6. But I hear that rule was deleted at some point. This is problematic. Yesterday, the floor leader also said it would be better not to bring it to the plenary session, so it was not submitted to the session."
The committee is expected to address issues such as Lee Junseok, who caused controversy with remarks related to gender during the last presidential debate; Kang Sunwoo, a Democratic Party lawmaker who faced allegations of abuse of power; and the expulsion motion for 45 People Power Party lawmakers who attempted to prevent the arrest of former President Yoon Sukyeol.
The committee is also expected to address the case of Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform Party, who was embroiled in controversy over gender-related remarks during the last presidential debate; Kang Sunwoo, a Democratic Party lawmaker who withdrew as Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee due to "abuse of power" allegations; and the expulsion motion for 45 People Power Party lawmakers who gathered in front of former President Yoon Sukyeol's residence.
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