"Yoo Si-min's False Claims Must Be Corrected" Lee Bu-young's Resolute Criticism

"Yoo Si-min's Claim That the 2004 Reform Legislation Failure Was Due to the Grand National Party Is False"

Lee Bu-young, Chairman of the Foundation for Free Press Practice Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Lee Bu-young, chairman of the Freedom of Press Practice Foundation, criticized Yoo Si-min, chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, calling his remarks in a debate "false claims." Lee previously served as the chairman of the Uri Party, the predecessor of the Democratic Party of Korea.

On the 3rd, Lee posted on his Facebook, referring to Yoo's remarks during the JTBC New Year's Special Debate on the 2nd, saying, "Yoo Si-min's false claims must be corrected. The failure of the four major reform legislations in 2004 was due to the ruling party breaking the bipartisan agreement on the revision of the National Security Act."

He continued, "Yoo claimed (in the debate) that at the time, 152 members of the Uri Party and 13 members of the Democratic Labor Party, totaling 165, tried to pass reform legislation including the complete abolition of the National Security Act, the Press Act, the Past History Act, and the Private School Act, but the Grand National Party completely occupied the National Assembly, causing failure," adding, "This claim is completely false. The opposition party (Grand National Party) did not occupy the National Assembly, and bipartisan negotiations proceeded smoothly."

Lee led the bipartisan negotiations during the National Security Act (NSA) controversy.

Photo by Lee Bu-young, Chairman of the Foundation for the Practice of Free Press

Regarding the NSA controversy, Lee explained, "We identified that some Uri Party members opposed the abolition of the National Security Act, and secretly consulted with senior lawmakers to conduct behind-the-scenes negotiations with the Grand National Party," adding, "The Grand National Party, gripped by fear that the Uri Party and the Democratic Labor Party would enforce the abolition of the National Security Act by majority vote, contacted us to discuss revising the National Security Act."

He continued, "I met with Park Geun-hye, leader of the Grand National Party, and agreed to delete most of the toxic clauses instead of abolishing the National Security Act, and to revise the Press Act, Past History Act, and Private Education Act according to the ruling party's proposals," explaining, "Cheon Jeong-bae, the floor leader, insisted on abolition of the National Security Act, so I held two four-party meetings to persuade him."

Yoo Si-min, Chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.

Lee also said that Yoo had stated at the time that there was no need for a revision of the NSA. Lee said, "Earlier, I met Yoo Si-min, then a lawmaker known as President Roh Moo-hyun's trusted aide within the ruling party, who held the opinion that a revision, not abolition, of the National Security Act was unnecessary," adding, "Eventually, at the Uri Party's general assembly, floor leader Cheon, who was the moderator, declared the bipartisan agreement null and void, and some radical lawmakers called me, the party chairman, a traitor."

He added, "Senior lawmakers with three or more terms who supported bipartisan negotiations remained silent, overwhelmed by the fierce determination of lawmakers like Yoo Si-min who advocated for the abolition of the National Security Act," explaining, "Thus, the revision of the National Security Act fell through."

Lee criticized, "The failure to revise the National Security Act left significant aftereffects," adding, "Even now, Yoo Si-min and other abolitionists of the National Security Act do not acknowledge their mistakes and continue to make false claims."

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