Kim Du-kwan, Park Jin After Dismissal Motion Passed, "Returned as It Was After 20 Years"

Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung and floor leader Park Hong-geun are talking after voting on the motion to dismiss Foreign Minister Park Jin at the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 29th. (Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers) [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] Kim Du-kwan, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who was dismissed as Minister of the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs after a no-confidence motion passed in 2003, has called for the resignation of Foreign Minister Park Jin.

On the day the no-confidence motion against Minister Park was passed, Rep. Kim posted on Facebook, saying, "It has been returned as it was after 20 years," and added, "The dismissal in 2003 was obviously unfair and political, but I accepted the National Assembly's demand."

Rep. Kim continued, "Since President Yoon Seok-yeol's inauguration, diplomacy has been in complete chaos," and said, "It has caused enormous damage, let alone national interests." He added, "More disappointing than the condolence diplomacy without condolences, the 48-second meeting with President Biden, and the use of profanity, was the president's evasion of responsibility for the issue, false explanations, and blaming the opposition party and the media."

He then pointed out, "As a cabinet member who assists the president and is responsible for diplomacy, Minister Park has a great responsibility for the failure in diplomacy that harms national interests due to inadequate support." He also said, "The passage of the no-confidence motion against the Minister of Foreign Affairs today is a stern warning and a reprimand from the people for diplomatic failure and incompetence," and added, "The president and the ruling party should humbly accept the will of the people and take this as an opportunity to normalize state affairs."

This is the fourth time since the current constitution was revised in 1987 that a no-confidence motion against a cabinet member has been passed in the National Assembly. After the no-confidence motion against the Minister of the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs, which was proposed by the Grand National Party in 2003, Rep. Kim voluntarily resigned from his position.

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