Jeong Jeomsik: "Government and Ruling Party an Unconstitutional Community... Kim Hyeonji and Kim Yongbeom Must Be Called to the Audit"

Jeong Jeomsik Criticizes Legislation and Judiciary Committee Proceedings on October 6
Opposition Lawmakers Demand Public Apology from Seo Youngkyo

At the Supreme Court’s parliamentary audit held on October 6 by the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the People Power Party criticized the government and ruling party over attempts to have Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae appear as a witness and the suspension of speaking rights for People Power Party lawmakers Park Hyung-soo and Kim Tae-gyu. It also again called for former and current Blue House officials to appear as witnesses.

Jeong Jeomsik, Floor Leader of the People Power Party

Jeong Jeomsik, floor leader of the People Power Party, told reporters at the National Assembly on October 7, "President Lee Jae-myung, who is demanding that the Supreme Court make another recommendation, and the Democratic Party of Korea, which intimidated the chief justice yesterday, are both acting unconstitutionally. President Lee and the Democratic Party of Korea are an unconstitutional alliance bent on destroying the rule of law."

Jeong said, "Yesterday, Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chair Seo Young-kyo ordered our party's lawmaker Park, the opposition's ranking member on the committee, to leave and suspended lawmaker Kim's right to speak," calling it "an abuse of authority by a standing committee chair." He also criticized Chair Seo's remarks at yesterday's parliamentary audit, including referring to the prime minister as the head of the executive branch, calling them "ignorant nonsense."

Jeong also argued that Kim Hyun-ji, head of the Blue House's First Secretary's Office, and former Blue House Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom should be summoned to the parliamentary audit. "The Democratic Party is categorically refusing to allow witnesses who must appear at the audit to testify, turning the National Assembly into an abnormal shield for the government," he said. "They will face the judgment of the people."

Opposition members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee also held a press conference at the National Assembly's Communication Center that day, saying, "We strongly protest Chair Seo's biased and arbitrary handling of proceedings during the committee's parliamentary audit of the Supreme Court."

The members said, "One of those whose right to speak was suspended was the opposition's ranking member on the committee," criticizing the move as "a declaration that the opposition's voice as a whole will be silenced." They also called on Chair Seo to "publicly apologize for suspending speaking rights in circumstances that did not meet the requirements or warrant such a measure" and to "pledge to prevent a recurrence of this arbitrary conduct."

The members said, "If she does not apologize and pledge to prevent a recurrence, she should acknowledge that she is no longer qualified to lead the Legislation and Judiciary Committee fairly and step down as chair." They added, "The People Power Party will consider all available measures against Chair Seo, including filing a complaint with the National Assembly Ethics Committee and lodging a criminal complaint on charges such as abuse of authority."

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