The Democratic Party files ethics complaint against Yoon Young-chan over 'Yoon Coup' remarks

Jeon Ju-hye "Remarks Trampling on People's Sovereignty"
Jang Dong-hyeok "A Challenge to Democracy"

On the 4th, the People Power Party filed a complaint against Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Young-chan to the National Assembly Ethics Committee. This was in response to Yoon’s remarks that President Yoon Seok-yeol was "virtually elected through a coup."

Jeon Ju-hye, the floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, told reporters at the National Assembly on the same day, “The People Power Party has submitted a disciplinary proposal against lawmaker Yoon to the National Assembly Ethics Committee,” adding, “This is because he made statements trampling on the sovereignty of the people by claiming that President Yoon, who was elected with the precious votes of the people, came to power through a prosecutorial coup.”

People Power Party's Deputy Floor Leader Jeong Gyeong-hee (right) and Floor Spokesperson Jeon Ju-hye are submitting a disciplinary proposal against Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Young-chan to the National Assembly's Legislative Affairs Office on the 4th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

Yoon, who served as the Blue House Senior Secretary for Public Communication under the Moon Jae-in administration, sparked controversy on the 30th of last month during an SBS radio broadcast by saying about President Yoon, “He became president through a prosecutorial coup opposing prosecutorial reform and investigating Cho Kuk during the Moon Jae-in administration.”

Spokesperson Jeon pointed out, “President Yoon was elected through the exercise of the people’s sovereignty and through a democratic and fair election,” adding, “Yet to talk about a coup is unconstitutional and anti-democratic behavior that disregards the sovereignty of the people, which is unacceptable for a member of the National Assembly.”

Jeon continued, “For this reason, we have submitted a proposal to the disciplinary committee on the grounds of damaging the dignity of a lawmaker,” emphasizing, “We hope the National Assembly Ethics Committee will promptly judge this matter.”

Jeong Kyung-hee, a floor representative of the People Power Party, also said, “Yesterday (the 3rd), Min Kyung-woo, head of the Alternative Coalition, came to our party and gave a lecture saying that all the mad cow disease rumors and Fukushima rumors are attempts to reject the presidential election results, and I think lawmaker Yoon’s remarks also fall under election result rejection on a large scale,” adding, “He must be held accountable for openly making such reckless remarks on a broadcast, failing to uphold the dignity required of a lawmaker.”

Jang Dong-hyuk, the People Power Party floor spokesperson, also stated in a commentary on the same day, “Lawmaker Yoon, who made disgraceful remarks invoking a coup, should repent for his reckless words and apologize before the 16.39 million people,” pointing out, “To talk about a coup against a president elected through democratic and fair procedures is a challenge to Korean democracy and an unconstitutional, anti-democratic act that denies the national system.”

Jang further criticized, “He remains arrogant, unable to escape the memories of his time as a Blue House senior secretary during the Moon Jae-in administration,” adding, “Despite being judged by the people for the previous administration’s failures and arrogance, he still cannot come to his senses and rejects the election results, engaging in substandard ‘third-rate politics’ such as ‘coup remarks’ and ‘Fukushima rumors.’”

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