[Summary] "If the people's lives are endangered, the king must be ousted," Joo Ho-young sharply criticizes President Moon

Joo Ho-young Holds Emergency Press Conference at National Assembly: "Democratic Party's Authoritarian Regime Era National Assembly Operation"
Quotes Sambong Jeong Do-jeon’s 'Joseon Gyeonggukjeon': "Monarch's Power Can Be Ruthlessly Replaced"
United Party Boycotts Plenary Session, Urges Awakening to "Parliamentary Dictatorship Destroying Democracy"
Democratic Party Plans to Elect Remaining 12 Committee Chairs at Plenary Session on 19th

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, is speaking about the formation of standing committees at the National Assembly plenary session on the 15th. The United Future Party did not attend the meeting that day.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the 15th, the Democratic Party of Korea held a plenary session of the National Assembly alone, without the participation of the United Future Party, and elected chairpersons of six standing committees, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, directly criticized the Democratic Party by quoting from Jeong Do-jeon’s 'Joseon Gyeonggukjeon' written at Sambong.

In a post on his Facebook on the 15th, Floor Leader Joo said, "If the lives of the people are endangered, even a king must be driven out," and pointed out, "The position of king is guaranteed by good governance that saves the people's livelihood."

He explained, "It means that the power of a ruler who violates the people's livelihood and public sentiment can be ruthlessly replaced."

He then targeted the Democratic Party, saying, "It is really frustrating to negotiate the organization of the National Assembly with the Democratic Party," and emphasized, "The Democratic Party arrogantly insists that the 177 seats they won in the last general election give them qualitatively different power, and shamelessly refuses to abide by the rules of parliamentary operation that we have built since democratization."

Floor Leader Joo pointed out, "Even if the Democratic Party had won 277 seats instead of 177, they cannot change the constitutional spirit and the basic framework of national governance," and added, "The people have only temporarily entrusted sovereignty to the Democratic Party and President Moon Jae-in, and they can revoke that delegation at any time, even tomorrow."

He strongly criticized, "The responsibility of the Blue House and the ruling party is, first and foremost, to save the people's livelihood," and asked, "Is this the time for the ruling party to throw a tantrum to seize the Legislation and Judiciary Committee?"

On the same day, the Democratic Party elected four-term lawmaker Yoon Ho-jung as chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, three-term lawmaker Yoon Hu-deok as chairperson of the Planning and Finance Committee, five-term lawmaker Song Young-gil as chairperson of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, three-term lawmaker Min Hong-chul as chairperson of the National Defense Committee, three-term lawmaker Lee Hak-young as chairperson of the Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Business Committee, and three-term lawmaker Han Jeong-ae as chairperson of the Health and Welfare Committee.

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, Joo Ho-young, Floor Leader, and other lawmakers are holding placards that read "Whether in opposition or ruling party, is the Legislation and Judiciary Committee only for the Democratic Party?" at a party meeting held at the National Assembly on the 15th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On that day, the United Future Party boycotted the plenary session, condemning the Democratic Party’s unilateral seizure of the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, which has traditionally been held by the first opposition party, as a 'tyranny.'

Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman, Joo Ho-young, floor leader, and the entire party leadership and lawmakers held placards in front of the plenary hall that read, "What crime did we commit to have the Legislation and Judiciary Committee seized?" and shouted slogans such as "Wake up to parliamentary dictatorship destroying democracy" toward Democratic Party lawmakers.

Floor Leader Joo, who attended the plenary session alone, said, "Checks and balances are the reason for the existence of the National Assembly," and asked, "What is the Democratic Party afraid of that they cling to the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and want to keep it until the end?"

He continued, "Today will be remembered in our history as the day the National Assembly disappeared and one-party dictatorship began," and said, "We will give up all 18 standing committees. (The Democratic Party) should not forget the curse of the victor, the curse of power."

Earlier, Floor Leader Joo held an emergency press conference at noon and criticized, "I cannot understand why the Democratic Party, which created the democratization system in 1987, is trying to regress to the parliamentary operation practices of authoritarian regimes."

He also emphasized, "If the Democratic Party says, 'We have 176 or 177 seats, let's vote,' then the opposition party is unnecessary in the current National Assembly, and the National Assembly itself does not exist."

He added, "In this case, we are willing to let them have all 18 standing committees." Since the 13th National Assembly (May 1988 to May 1992), when the ruling and opposition parties began distributing standing committee chairmanships, there has never been a case where the ruling party held a plenary session alone and elected standing committee chairpersons.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party plans to activate the standing committees whose chairpersons have been elected and complete the election of chairpersons for the remaining 12 committees at the plenary session scheduled for the 19th.

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