The Democratic Party disciplines Geum Tae-seop for 'refusing to vote on the Corruption Investigation Office'... Consolation visit to Yoon Mi-hyang

Democratic Party of Korea Disciplines Geum Tae-seop for Opposing Corruption Investigation Office
Ha Tae-kyung: "Disciplining Geum Tae-seop? It's a Threat Saying Criticizing Yoon Mi-hyang Means Ending Up Like Geum Tae-seop"

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] It has come to light belatedly that Geum Tae-seop, former Democratic Party lawmaker who criticized former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and abstained from voting on the establishment bill of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), has been disciplined by the party, sparking controversy. This reaction contrasts with the ruling party's recent defense of lawmaker Yoon Mee-hyang, who has been embroiled in allegations related to fundraising accounting. Recently, party insiders even visited Yoon's office to offer comfort.

Regarding this, Ha Tae-kyung, a lawmaker from the United Future Party, criticized, saying, "The discipline against former lawmaker Geum is also a threat that anyone criticizing lawmaker Yoon within the party will end up like Geum."

The Democratic Party Ethics Tribunal held a meeting on the 25th of last month and issued a 'warning' to former lawmaker Geum. This followed a disciplinary request submitted by some Democratic Party members in February.

They argued that Geum's abstention from voting on the CIO law at the National Assembly plenary session last December was a 'prohibited act' and demanded his expulsion. The party notified former lawmaker Geum of this decision on the 28th of last month.

Former lawmaker Geum plans to file an appeal against the disciplinary result. His side told a media outlet, "There has never been a case where a lawmaker was disciplined for a plenary session vote," adding, "It is not even included in the 'grounds for disciplining party-affiliated lawmakers' stipulated in the party regulations."

Previously, in December last year, former lawmaker Geum was the only Democratic Party member to abstain from voting on the CIO establishment bill during the plenary session.

At the time, Geum opposed the introduction of the CIO, saying, "The establishment of the CIO is creating a new power institution." Subsequently, he suffered attacks from pro-Moon Jae-in lawmakers and supporters, and ultimately lost the nomination race in his constituency, Seoul Gangseo-gap.

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Criticism is also emerging within the political circle that the discipline against former lawmaker Geum is an excessive retaliatory measure. On the 2nd, fellow party member Cho Eung-cheon pointed out on CBS Radio, "According to the party constitution, members are supposed to follow the party line, but I don't think I've ever seen a lawmaker disciplined for voting according to their own conviction in the plenary session."

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Yong-jin also criticized the excessive discipline. Appearing on Channel A's 'Kim Jin's Straight Talk Show' that morning, he said, "It is right for former lawmaker Geum to file an appeal," adding, "The Ethics Tribunal probably said, 'Since you are a party member, you must follow the party line.' It is appropriate for the Ethics Tribunal to clarify through the appeal whether the party constitution and regulations take precedence."

He added, "We need to consider whether it is right to discipline former lawmaker Geum, who tried to uphold his conviction."

Voices of criticism are also coming from the United Future Party. Ha Tae-kyung posted on his Facebook that day, "The discipline against former lawmaker Geum is a threat that anyone criticizing lawmaker Yoon within the party will end up like Geum."

He criticized, "The Democratic Party only defends Yoon Mee-hyang and neglects the insult against comfort women victim Halmoni Lee Yong-soo," adding, "The Democratic Party's behavior of insulting Halmoni Lee Yong-soo and disciplining former lawmaker Geum is increasingly resembling a monster."

Meanwhile, Democratic Party figures are actively defending lawmaker Yoon Mee-hyang, who is under prosecution investigation over allegations of misappropriating donations to the Justice and Memory Foundation (Jeonguiyeondae). Some Democratic Party members, including Jeong Cheong-rae and Lee Su-jin, even visited Yoon's office to offer comfort.

In particular, after visiting Yoon's office that day, lawmaker Jeong said on his Facebook, "Reporters were camped out in front of the lawmaker's office, so I thought it must have been very difficult for her not even to have lunch," adding, "I visited hoping to offer some comfort."

He continued, "Although lawmaker Yoon is a strong figure with 30 years of civic activism, I can only imagine how difficult the current situation must be," and added, "I hope she calmly continues her legislative activities."

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