Yeo: "Yoon's Rejection of Dismissal Motion Is a Declaration to Grant Minister Lee Sang-min Immunity"

Repeated Calls to Accept the Dismissal Proposal
To Sangmin Lee: "Step Down Now"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The opposition parties strongly opposed President Yoon Seok-yeol's de facto rejection of the National Assembly's motion to dismiss Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, calling it "a declaration to grant immunity to the minister while completely denying the spirit of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea."

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the party's floor strategy meeting on the 13th, "Despite the anguished cries of the bereaved families and the opposition of the majority of the people, this is nothing but stubbornness to only protect the minister, who is an alumnus and close aide," and criticized, "President Yoon, who still cannot shed his identity as a former prosecutor, has resorted to the defense that 'legal responsibility should be determined first'."

The presidential office stated the previous day regarding the National Assembly's motion to dismiss the minister, "Our position remains unchanged that the dismissal issue should be judged after the facts are clearly established," effectively indicating that they will not accept the motion.

Floor leader Park said, "In a situation where 158 lives were tragically lost, it is nothing but arrogance to completely reject the very common-sense demand to hold the minister in charge of disaster and safety management politically and morally responsible, separate from criminal responsibility," adding, "Since the Itaewon tragedy, President Yoon has wielded the law but shows no real interest in a thorough fact-finding investigation and has consistently emphasized the presumption of innocence to protect the minister."

He directly criticized, "Are we supposed to wait for the police special investigation team, followed by the prosecution's investigation, and then the first, second, and final court rulings that could take years, and then only hold legal responsibility? President Yoon, who only points to the responsibility of low-level officials and insists on legalities in front of the lives lost, is truly heartless and irresponsible."

He also took issue with the minister's statement that he "has nothing to say," saying, "It is obvious to anyone that there are more than enough reasons to resign, but since the president protects him, he refuses to apologize or acknowledge any wrongdoing," and urged, "The president should immediately heed the will of the people and accept the National Assembly's motion to dismiss."

Furthermore, he addressed the minister, saying, "I hope you remember that taking responsibility and stepping down now is the only way to offer even the minimum apology to the bereaved families and the public."

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