Opposition, "Let's smash the Constitutional Court" Strong response from People Power's Seo Cheon-ho

Opposition: "Lawmaker Seo Incited Far-Right at March 1 Rally"
Disciplinary and Criminal Measures to Be Submitted Today
Innovation Party: "Must Agree to Removal from Office"

The opposition parties have responded by demanding strong disciplinary actions such as expulsion, removal from office, and criminal prosecution against Seocheonho, a People Power Party lawmaker who said at an anti-impeachment rally for President Yoon Seok-yeol, "Let's smash the Constitutional Court and others."

Park Chandae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at the National Assembly floor strategy meeting on the morning of the 4th, "Those who rely on a handful of far-right thugs and irrational far-right groups to destroy democracy and constitutional order and attack the Constitutional Court will be judged by the people, whoever they are."

Park pointed out, "(Last weekend) 37 People Power Party lawmakers including Kim Kihyun, Na Kyungwon, Yoon Sanghyun, and Choo Kyung-ho attended the anti-impeachment rally in Yeouido, and 9 lawmakers including Park Daechul, Kim Seokki, and Cho Baesuk directly participated in the anti-impeachment rally in Gwanghwamun, shamelessly defending Yoon Seok-yeol and endorsing rebellion with absurd arguments and reckless behavior."

He continued, "At the anti-impeachment rally in Gwanghwamun, a prison letter from former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun calling for the punishment of Constitutional Court justices was revealed, and Lawmaker Seo reportedly said, 'Let's smash the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the National Election Commission, and the Constitutional Court.' At this point, it seems appropriate to call the People Power Party a delusional community of rebellion," directly criticizing.

The Democratic Party submitted a disciplinary proposal against Lawmaker Seo to the National Assembly on the same day and plans to take separate criminal prosecution measures at the party level. After the meeting, floor spokesperson Noh Jongmyeon told reporters, "We plan to submit a resolution urging expulsion and a disciplinary request against Lawmaker Seo within today."

People Power Party members Kim Ki-hyun and Choo Kyung-ho are participating in the 'March 1st National Emergency Prayer Meeting' hosted by Save Korea, held on Yeouidaero in Seoul on the 1st. Photo by Yonhap News

The Innovation Party also urged the removal of Lawmaker Seo from office and applied strong pressure on the People Power Party.

Baek Seonhee, deputy floor leader of the Innovation Party, said at a party meeting held at the National Assembly main building that day, "This is clearly an anti-constitutional incitement to rebellion that denies the constitutional order," emphasizing, "The People Power Party should agree to remove Lawmaker Seo, who is highly likely to have violated Article 90 (incitement) and Article 115 (riot) of the Criminal Act."

Earlier, on January 5 of this year, the Innovation Party submitted a petition to the Ministry of Justice requesting the dissolution of the People Power Party as an unconstitutional party.

Regarding this, Deputy Floor Leader Baek criticized, "If the People Power Party does not cooperate with the expulsion procedure for Lawmaker Seo, it is admitting itself as an unconstitutional party leading an anti-constitutional cartel," adding, "We can no longer stand by this situation where they are trying to incite rebellion again, causing severe damage to the lives of the people and destroying justice and common sense in the Republic of Korea."

Lawmaker Seo sparked controversy by saying at the Gwanghwamun rally opposing President Yoon's impeachment on the 1st, "Let's smash the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, the National Election Commission, and the Constitutional Court."

Even within the People Power Party, there are evaluations that his remarks went too far, and the need for disciplinary action against Lawmaker Seo is being raised. Kim Jonghyuk, a former Supreme Council member of the People Power Party and an ally of Han Donghoon, recently said in an interview with SBS Radio, "Lawmaker Seo is a former police officer who graduated from the Police Academy and should be the foremost protector of the system, but saying 'Let's smash all constitutional institutions' has gone way beyond the limit," adding, "I wonder how he plans to deal with the aftermath. It is very likely that the party will take measures such as warnings or admonitions."

Meanwhile, Lawmaker Seo, who served as the head of the Police Academy and the second deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for the 'National Intelligence Service comment manipulation' case, 1 year in prison with 2 years probation for the surveillance of former Prosecutor General Chae Dongwook, and 6 months in prison with 1 year probation for 'public opinion manipulation' related to the Hanjin Heavy Industries dismissed workers' 'Hope Bus' incident. He was pardoned and reinstated by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and was elected in the April 22nd general election (Gyeongnam Sacheon·Namhae·Hadong district) last year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.