National Assembly Passes Resolution Urging Expulsion of Lee Jin-sook over May 18 Belittlement Controversy

On August 26, the National Assembly passed a resolution urging the expulsion of Lee Jin-sook, a People Power Party lawmaker who sparked controversy for belittling the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

At the 2nd plenary session of the August extraordinary National Assembly held on the 26th, Lee Jin-sook, a People Power Party lawmaker who has been controversial for 'belittling and distorting' the May 18 incident at a debate hosted by herself in the National Assembly, is leaving the meeting hall as a resolution urging her expulsion was submitted. Photo by Yonhap News.

During the plenary session held that afternoon, the National Assembly conducted a secret ballot on the "Resolution Urging the Expulsion of National Assembly Member (Lee Jin-sook)", passing it with 157 votes in favor, 1 against, and 1 invalid out of 159 members present. Members of the People Power Party left the chamber in a group before the vote and did not participate.

Earlier in the day, the People Power Party held a general assembly of its members and decided not to participate in the vote for the resolution urging Lee's expulsion, opting instead to leave. People Power Party lawmakers exited the hall before the resolution was tabled at the plenary session, while Democratic Party lawmakers chanted slogans such as "Vote and then leave," demanding their participation in the vote.

Lee Jin-sook herself also left the plenary session before the vote on the resolution. On August 13, she had organized a forum at the National Assembly Library under the theme "Re-examining the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising of 1980," where statements distorting the historical facts of the May 18 Democratic Uprising were raised, setting off the controversy.

The Democratic Party has argued that Lee, by holding an event denying and distorting the historical facts of the May 18 Democratic Uprising as a lawmaker at the National Assembly, has undermined the dignity of the position and has therefore been calling for her expulsion. The Democratic Party passed the resolution a day earlier at the Steering Committee of the National Assembly in the absence of People Power Party lawmakers. All 17 committee members present voted in favor at the time.

However, the resolution that passed today is a separate procedure from an actual disciplinary action to strip Lee Jin-sook of her seat. In order for an expulsion to take place, a disciplinary review by the Special Committee on Ethics and a separate resolution at a plenary session must be completed.

Since the Democratic Party is expected to push for the formation of the Special Committee on Ethics and proceed with the review for disciplinary action to trigger the expulsion process, the dispute between the rival parties surrounding Lee Jin-sook is expected to continue for the time being.

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