Bareunmiraedang, 9 Proportional Representatives 'Self-Resign'... Mass Resignation Rush

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Bareunmirae Party lawmakers carried out a mass resignation through self-expulsion on the 18th.

Lawmakers Park Joo-sun, Kim Dong-cheol, Joo Seung-yong, Lim Jae-hoon, Choi Do-ja, Lee Sang-don, Kwon Eun-hee, Kim Sam-hwa, Kim Soo-min, Kim Jung-ro, Shin Yong-hyun, Lee Dong-seop, and Lee Tae-gyu held a party meeting at the National Assembly in the morning and resolved to expel nine proportional representation members. Lawmakers Park Sun-sook, Park Joo-hyun, Jang Jung-sook, and Chae Yi-bae did not attend the meeting, so their expulsion did not take place.

Lawmaker Lee Dong-seop told reporters immediately after the meeting, “Originally, we had 17 sitting lawmakers. Thirteen attended the meeting, and nine were expelled,” adding, “We plan to go directly to the Secretariat to register as independents.”

Regarding the lawmakers who did not attend the meeting, Lee explained, “We notified them of the meeting and made countless phone calls, but they did not answer. Finally, through aides in their offices, we confirmed that they would not attend.”

Lawmaker Park Joo-sun stated, “Now, the Bareunmirae Party has been shattered,” and added, “I believe expelling the proportional representation lawmakers is the humane and proper course of action, not a petty retaliatory measure.”

Park criticized, “Our comrade parties advocating a centrist pragmatic party, the Alternative New Party and the Party for Democracy and Peace, proposed integration first through Representative Sohn Hak-kyu. Sohn rejected ratification of the agreement, calling it an outdated Honam regional party integration. If so, why did he propose Honam integration first? If he did not intend to ratify, he should have stopped negotiations midway.”

Lawmaker Kim Dong-cheol said, “I still believe that proportional representation lawmakers were supported by the people based on their parties, so artificial expulsion is wrong,” but added, “However, the main forces who created the People’s Party are all leaving. Now, I think it is right to let each go their own way.”

Lawmaker Joo Seung-yong said, “This is the first time in constitutional history that proportional representation lawmakers are expelled as a group. With district lawmakers leaving the party, leaving only proportional representation members is impossible before an election, so we are in a situation where we must part ways ourselves.”

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