Jeong Cheongrae Cuts Ties with Lee Chunseok, Opts for Expulsion over Resignation... Opposition Demands Judiciary Committee Chair Return to People Power Party

Democratic Party Expels Lee, Citing Attempt to Evade Disciplinary Action
Prosecutorial Reform Discussions Inevitably Delayed
Song Eonseok: "Lee Chunseok, Who Oversaw AI at National Policy Planning Committee, Faces Serious Conflict of Interest"

The Democratic Party of Korea has taken the strong measure of expelling four-term lawmaker Lee Chunseok, who became embroiled in allegations of stock trading and trading under borrowed names during a plenary session. For the position of Chair of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, previously held by Lee, the party has nominated Choo Mi-ae, a six-term lawmaker who is also being considered for Speaker of the National Assembly.

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 6th. 2025.8.6 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Kim Byungki, floor leader of the Democratic Party, announced at the party’s Supreme Council meeting on the 5th, “I have asked Representative Choo to take on the role of Chair of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee.” He explained that the party plans to make the unprecedented move of appointing Choo, the most senior lawmaker within the party, to a standing committee chair position typically held by a third- or fourth-term lawmaker.

Kim stated, “Given the extraordinary and urgent nature of the situation, we decided to depart from the usual selection process for committee chairs and asked the person most experienced in leading prosecutorial reform.” However, due to Lee’s sudden resignation, the chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee will remain vacant until the National Assembly completes the reappointment process. If Choo accepts the position, she must be elected through a vote at the National Assembly plenary session. As the ruling and opposition parties have agreed to hold the next plenary session on the 21st, the vacancy is expected to last for at least two weeks.

In the meantime, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee has been accelerating discussions on prosecutorial reform, including holding a public hearing in Subcommittee 1 on Legislation on the 28th of last month. The Democratic Party has also formed an internal prosecutorial reform task force to prepare its own reform proposals. The task force is known to have outlined the abolition of the prosecution service and the separation of investigative and prosecutorial powers as key pillars, along with detailed adjustments to investigative authority. Jeong Cheongrae, the new leader of the Democratic Party, has established a Special Committee on Normalizing the Prosecution Service under the Principle of National Sovereignty (chaired by Min Hyungbae) to lead discussions on prosecutorial reform, and the first meeting is scheduled for this afternoon. The prosecutorial reform task force is also joining the special committee, accelerating internal discussions. However, the operation of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, which has the final say on legislation, will be suspended for the time being. Previously, Jeong had expressed his determination to push for reform before Chuseok, stating, “I believe it can be done within August.”

Independent lawmaker Chunseok Lee is checking a stock account opened under another person's name at the plenary session held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 4th. Photo by The Fact

It is also noteworthy that the party decided to expel Lee, who had applied to leave the party the previous day. It is highly unusual for a senior lawmaker, who held the important position of Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chair, to be expelled immediately after a controversy arises. Normally, political protocol calls for a thorough investigation of the facts and a comprehensive review of the political impact before making a final decision. The Democratic Party is known to have judged that Lee’s withdrawal was intended to avoid disciplinary action and therefore proceeded with expulsion.

As the controversy surrounding Lee emerged, the opposition launched a full-scale offensive. Song Eonseok, acting leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, who had originally planned to inspect automobile production sites in response to tariff increases, canceled his scheduled activities and held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly.

Song emphasized that Lee serves as head of the Economic Subcommittee 2 of the National Policy Planning Committee, which oversees artificial intelligence (AI), and argued, “The act of the Lee Jaemyung administration’s AI industry policy architect purchasing stocks of beneficiary companies on the day of the policy announcement constitutes a serious conflict of interest and a violation of public service ethics.” He added, “The chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee should be returned to the People Power Party, the second-largest party in the Assembly, and a thorough investigation must be conducted.”