'Fake Resignation' Criticism Sparks Outrage... Min Hyung-bae's Resignation Ends with 'Hope to Rejoin'

"Who Promised Reinstatement?" Min Hyung-bae, Who Opposed It
After Leaving the Democratic Party for About 50 Days, "Waiting to Rejoin"
Ruling Party: "Talking About Reinstatement After Local Election Judgment... Deceiving the People"

Min Hyung-bae, member of the Democratic Party of Korea./Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Independent lawmaker Min Hyung-bae, who sparked controversy over a so-called 'fake resignation' during the ruling Democratic Party's push to pass the 'complete removal of prosecution's investigative authority' (Geomsu Wanbak) bill, has expressed his desire to rejoin the Democratic Party, raising expectations of a ripple effect. Min has insisted that he is an independent and did not fake his resignation, but this effectively amounts to an admission that his resignation was a 'loophole.'

Min, who was a member of the Democratic Party's Legislation and Judiciary Committee (LJC), resigned at the end of April while the Geomsu Wanbak bill was being actively processed. This was to ensure the passage of the bill referred to the LJC's agenda adjustment committee (Adjustment Committee). If two-thirds or more (4 out of 6) of the sitting members (3 from the Democratic Party, 2 from the People Power Party, and 1 independent) approved, the agenda could pass. With Min positioned as an independent, the bill passed in a 4 to 2 vote.

The Adjustment Committee is a body established to discuss agendas requiring resolution of sharp disagreements. Its purpose is to prevent the majority party from unilaterally passing bills by leveraging numerical superiority. However, due to Min's resignation, the bill passed through the Adjustment Committee in about 10 minutes without any opportunity to reconcile differences. This effectively nullified the National Assembly Act designed to prevent legislative unilateralism.

Immediately after resigning, Min posted on Facebook, "I took courage, hoping to contribute even a little to the normalization of the prosecution through the separation of investigation and prosecution." While voices within the Democratic Party criticized Min's resignation, some praised it as an "extraordinary decision" and "self-sacrifice."

In political circles, criticism such as 'fake resignation,' 'trick resignation,' and 'mockery of democracy' emerged. However, Min has shown that he cannot accept such criticism. At the confirmation hearing for Justice Minister nominee Han Dong-hoon on the 9th of last month, when questioned about his resignation, he strongly rebutted, saying, "What fake resignation did I do? Did I say I resigned without actually resigning? I am currently not a member of the Democratic Party," and added, "Who promised me re-entry? Did you see it? Did you confirm it?"

However, shortly after the June 1 local elections, Min has recently indicated his intention to rejoin the Democratic Party. In an interview on June 6 with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' when asked about plans to rejoin, he replied, "Of course," adding, "But I am still waiting because the party has not yet requested me to rejoin." Although this statement contradicts his earlier denial of fake resignation, it appeared that he considered his re-entry to be unproblematic. Min further said, "If the party requests, I will apply (for re-entry)," and added that although he is currently independent, in his heart he remains a member of the Democratic Party.

The People Power Party criticized Min, saying he has "admitted to trick resignation." Chief spokesperson Kim Hyung-dong issued a statement saying, "The Geomsu Wanbak bill, which overturns the criminal justice system, was processed swiftly through the LJC, plenary session, and State Council, with not even 1% of bipartisan cooperation or public opinion," and pointed out, "The public watched closely, and the local election results were a stern judgment of public sentiment." He continued, "Min's talk of 'rejoining' reveals that his resignation was a deception to the public. He must first offer a sincere apology," raising his voice.

However, on the 7th, Min posted on Facebook, "I reiterate that if the People Power Party had not broken the 'Speaker's mediation bipartisan agreement,' my resignation would have been useless. The Adjustment Committee would not have even convened," shifting the cause of his resignation to the ruling party's fault.

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