People Power Party Holds Protest After Leaving Plenary Session
"Democratic Party Destroying Party Democracy"
On August 27, the People Power Party announced that it would boycott all standing committee schedules, including the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, after the National Assembly voted down the appointments of standing and non-standing members of the National Human Rights Commission recommended by the party during a plenary session.
People Power Party Floor Leader Song Eonseok is speaking at a rally condemning the "reckless parliamentary rampage and Democratic Party-style destruction of cooperation" held on the main stairs of the National Assembly building on the 27th. Photo by Yonhap News
People Power Party Floor Leader Song Eonseok announced in a notice that afternoon, "Due to the Democratic Party's destruction of cooperation, from this moment on, we will boycott all remaining standing committee schedules today. Lawmakers are asked to follow the instructions of the floor leadership."
Earlier that afternoon, the National Assembly held a secret ballot during its plenary session on the appointments of Professor Lee Sanghyun from Soongsil University's Department of International Legal Affairs as a standing commissioner, and lawyer Woo Insik from the Hae-arim Law Office as a non-standing commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission. Both appointments were voted down.
The Democratic Party allowed its members to vote freely on the agenda without an official party stance, but it appears that a large number of Democratic Party lawmakers voted against the appointments.
After the appointments were rejected, People Power Party lawmakers immediately left the plenary chamber and did not participate in the remaining votes on other bills.
Instead, the People Power Party held a protest rally in the Rotunda Hall of the main National Assembly building, voicing strong opposition.
Floor Leader Song stated, "We strongly oppose the unilateral operation of the National Assembly by the Democratic Party and the Speaker, who is from the Democratic Party, and we make it clear that we cannot cooperate at all with the current management of the Assembly. The Democratic Party's actions are an attempt to destroy party democracy as stipulated by law and the Constitution."
He added, "Today, we have completely withdrawn from the plenary session. Of course, we will not participate in other standing committees or the ongoing Special Committee on Budget and Accounts."
Song further stated, "The Democratic Party is showing an attitude of rejecting anyone who does not suit their preferences. Until yesterday, there was a general understanding that our party's two recommended candidates would be approved and processed through consensus, but today, their attitude suddenly changed."
Assemblywoman Choi Boyoon also criticized, "This act tramples on the spirit of agreement and the principle of respecting the right to recommend personnel, which both parties have maintained in forming the Human Rights Commission. This rejection is not about the qualifications of the candidates, but simply a political act to exclude those who do not suit their preferences."
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