Opposition Forces Push Through 250,000 Won Support Bill and Impeachment Motion Against Lee Jin-sook in Afternoon Plenary Session

Filibuster Ends Around 3:55 PM
Vote Immediately After, Yellow Envelope Act to Be Submitted
Lee Jin-sook Likely to Resist Post-Impeachment and Seek Constitutional Court Ruling

The Democratic Party of Korea is expected to forcibly pass the 'National 250,000 Won Support Act (Special Measures Act for Livelihood Recovery Support Fund)' and the impeachment motion against Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook at the National Assembly plenary session on the afternoon of the 2nd.

The Democratic Party submitted the 250,000 Won Support Act to the National Assembly plenary session at around 2:55 p.m. the previous day. The bill provides for the payment of 250,000 to 350,000 won per person nationwide in the form of local love gift certificates as a livelihood recovery support fund. The People Power Party immediately launched a filibuster (unlimited debate) in opposition to the bill's submission, which has been ongoing for two days as of the 2nd.

The People Power Party opposes the 250,000 Won Support Act, calling it a 'cash handout bill.' They argue that distributing 1.3 trillion won in cash could further destabilize prices and interest rates. Park Soo-min, a People Power Party lawmaker who was the first to debate the bill the previous day, spoke against it from 2:54 p.m. until 6:44 a.m. the next day, continuing the debate for an astonishing 15 hours and 50 minutes, setting a record for the longest filibuster in history.

The opposition party submitted a motion to end the unlimited debate signed by 170 lawmakers just five minutes after the filibuster began. The filibuster can be ended if, after 24 hours from the submission of the motion to end, at least three-fifths (180 members) of the total members vote in favor. The opposition plans to forcibly end the filibuster around 3 p.m. that day and immediately pass the 250,000 Won Support Act. They also plan to submit the Yellow Envelope Act for plenary session consideration immediately after the vote.

On the 30th, members of the People Power Party began leaving the plenary session hall as the vote started on the fourth bill among the 'Broadcasting 4 Acts,' the amendment to the Educational Broadcasting Corporation Act (EBS Act), during the National Assembly plenary session. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The impeachment motion against Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook, proposed by the opposition, is also expected to be voted on that day. The Democratic Party submitted the impeachment motion against Chairperson Lee and reported it to the plenary session the previous afternoon. According to the National Assembly Act, once an impeachment motion is submitted, it must be reported at the first plenary session and then voted on by secret ballot between 24 and 72 hours later. The six opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, plan to pass the impeachment motion that day.

If the impeachment motion is passed at the National Assembly plenary session, Chairperson Lee will be suspended from duty just two days after taking office. However, it is known that Chairperson Lee will not resign but will enter a 'holding out' phase, awaiting the Constitutional Court's decision while in suspension. The previous day, Chairperson Lee and Vice Chairperson Kim Tae-gyu held a closed full meeting immediately after their appointment and appointed six of the nine directors of the Korea Broadcasting Culture Promotion Foundation (Bangmunjin), the major shareholder of MBC, and seven of the eleven directors of KBS.

The opposition continues to pressure Chairperson Lee over allegations of misuse of corporate credit cards and other issues. The National Assembly Science, Technology, Broadcasting and Communications Committee held a full meeting that morning and requested Chairperson Lee to appear to verify various allegations and the two-person system operation of the standing committee. Chairperson Lee submitted a letter of absence citing health reasons.

Candidate for Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, Lee Jin-sook, speaking
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Han Jong-chan = Lee Jin-sook, candidate for Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, is speaking at the confirmation hearing held on the 25th at the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee. 2024.7.25
saba@yna.co.kr
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