Chaos from the First Day of the Government Question Session... Kim Jin-pyo Says, "Even Elementary School Class Meetings Aren't Like This"

Excessive Language During Responses by State Council Members
Respect Must Be Shown to National Assembly Members Elected by Voters
"Please Listen Carefully" Also Urged to Lawmakers

From the first day of the last regular session of the 21st National Assembly, a disgraceful scene unfolded with loud exchanges between ruling and opposition party lawmakers during the government questioning. Speaker Kim Jin-pyo urged lawmakers and cabinet members to "maintain maximum decorum" right after the session began, but from the first question by Seol Hoon of the Democratic Party of Korea, jeers and disputes between lawmakers turned the session into chaos.

On that day, Speaker Kim made a pointed remark from the start of the plenary session, saying, "I would like to say a few words to the cabinet members." He stated, "Recently, there have been instances of excessive language during cabinet members' responses, showing inappropriate attitudes. All lawmakers do not question as individuals but as constitutional bodies representing the people. Cabinet members, when responding in the National Assembly, should answer politely and respectfully, recognizing that each lawmaker represents at least 200,000 to 300,000 voters," he urged.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He continued, "I also ask lawmakers to maintain the utmost decorum when questioning and to show attentive listening when fellow lawmakers are questioning. Even if you find it difficult to agree with a cabinet member’s response or a fellow lawmaker’s question, please remember that it is the people who evaluate, so I earnestly ask you to listen attentively," he emphasized.

Speaker Kim’s remarks that day were advice drawn from his own past experience as a cabinet member. In 2006, while serving as a member of the 17th National Assembly, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education and Human Resources Development (now Ministry of Education) and attended standing committee meetings. At that time, Kim often responded casually during exchanges with lawmakers from his own party (Uri Party), frequently saying, "You may not know well, but..."

Then, Kwon Cheol-hyun, who was the Education Committee chairman from the Grand National Party (predecessor of the People Power Party), reportedly advised Kim at the end of a meeting, saying, "When answering, don’t look at the lawmakers but at the 200,000 to 300,000 people behind them." This was interpreted as a reminder to respect lawmakers elected by the people as cabinet members. Hearing this, Kim was sharply awakened, and according to a spokesperson from the Speaker’s office, he has kept this lesson in mind for about 20 years.

However, this plea was rendered meaningless from the very first question. Seol Hoon of the Democratic Party, questioning Prime Minister Han Deok-soo about the controversy over relocating the bust of independence activist General Hong Beom-do, exchanged harsh words and loud voices. Seol said, "General Hong Beom-do, commander-in-chief of the Korean Independence Army, is being slandered as a communist, while pro-Japanese anti-national figure (General Baek Seon-yeop) is openly displayed and praised on the Korea Military Academy website," adding, "This is the true nature of the far-right New Right. President Yoon Seok-yeol claimed at the People Power Party training session that ideology is the most important thing. If ideology is the most important, should the biased ideology of the far-right New Right become the ideology of the Republic of Korea?"

Seol also raised the issue of the death of Marine Corps soldier Chae Sang-byeong, saying, "President Yoon instructed to change the report, saying, 'If you punish even the division commander, who would want to be a division commander in Korea?'" and pointed out, "If the president did that, it would be illegal."

Prime Minister Han responded, "It will be revealed through police investigation," but Seol said, "This is exactly the kind of matter that requires a special prosecutor and a parliamentary investigation. The president clearly violated the law and abused his authority. There is sufficient ground for impeachment." At this, People Power Party lawmakers protested, shouting "Impeachment?" and the plenary hall descended into chaos.

Speaker of the National Assembly Kim Jin-pyo is delivering opening remarks at a meeting with Yoon Jae-ok of the People Power Party and Park Kwang-on of the Democratic Party held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 13th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

After Seol’s questioning ended, Speaker Kim said, "The National Assembly plenary hall is a place to practice parliamentary democracy," adding, "It is natural that different opinions arise." He continued, "The public should listen and judge, but the behavior of lawmakers in the gallery is preventing the public from hearing the speakers," and strongly criticized, "Please listen carefully. Even elementary school class meetings are not this noisy."

A spokesperson from the Speaker’s office explained, "The expression ‘elementary school class meeting’ probably refers to elementary school meetings or similar gatherings," adding, "He made this remark urgently as the disputes continued despite his opening remarks."

However, the ruling and opposition parties clashed again when People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong questioned Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon about the 'Daejang-dong scandal and the allegation that President Yoon Seok-yeol is the mastermind.' Minister Han said, "Because fake news dissemination and election manipulation go unpunished and fade away, it becomes politically and economically profitable and repetitive," prompting loud voices among Democratic Party lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han’s response attitude also came under scrutiny during Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Du-kwan’s questioning. Kim showed a photo of President Yoon laying a wreath at the tomb of former Vietnamese State President Ho Chi Minh and said, "Vietnam has invested the most in our country, about 2,800 companies," asking, "From an ideological perspective, shouldn’t the prime minister withdraw those 2,800 companies investing in a communist country?" Prime Minister Han retorted, "We cannot place a bust of Vietnam’s founding father at the Korea Military Academy, can we?" This indirect response to the government’s attempt to relocate General Hong Beom-do’s bust at the Korea Military Academy due to his communist background drew laughter in the chamber.

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