[Parliamentary Audit Spotlight] Lee Jinsook, Revived Twice by the Constitutional Court, Raises Her Profile

The Constitutional Court partially suspended the effect of the National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee's decision to exclude her from its parliamentary audit, giving Lee Jinsook, a People Power Party lawmaker, a political boost.

Rep. Lee Jin-sook of the People Power Party makes a procedural remark during a comprehensive audit of state administration concerning the Korea Communications Commission and other agencies at the National Assembly on Oct. 22, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongju.

At a press conference at the National Assembly's Communication Center on the morning of Oct. 22, Lee said of the Constitutional Court's partial suspension of the exclusion, "The court put the brakes on the Democratic Party of Korea's tyranny of the majority." She added, "Stop the dictatorship of the majority. Hold accountable the lawless party and administration that seek to rule over the law instead of being governed by it."

The controversy is tied to the decision to exclude Lee from the parliamentary audit, which was pushed through by the Democratic Party of Korea. The ruling party sought and secured her exclusion, arguing that her having served as chair of the Korea Communications Commission presented a potential conflict of interest. The Constitutional Court, however, partially suspended the decision, saying that a blanket exclusion could infringe on lawmakers' right to conduct audits. As a result, Lee was able to return to the audit session.

Lee has repeatedly clashed with the ruling party, raising issues including the release of the names of people honored for their contributions to the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and allegations that President Lee Jae-myung's parents violated the Farmland Act. She protested, saying, "Can it really be a coincidence that the decision to exclude me was made two days after I reported an issue involving the president's family's ancestral graves?"

This is not the first time Lee has made a political comeback. In 2024, just two days after she took office as chair of the Korea Communications Commission, an impeachment motion against her was passed at the initiative of the Democratic Party, on the grounds that the commission's two-member decision-making structure was unlawful, suspending her from her duties. Lee returned to her post in 2025 after the Constitutional Court rejected the impeachment motion. The Democratic Party played the impeachment card, but it ultimately backfired.

Democratic Party members of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee said at a press conference, "What Lee should do now is comply with the exclusion, not claim a 'victory in her own mind,'" and warned her not to mislead the public. Although they have again clashed with Lee, critics say this controversy, too, has only highlighted her political profile and become another political own goal.

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