Ruling and Opposition Clash Over 'Reduced Budget Proposal'; Ruling Party Calls Impeachment Report "Political Terror"

Speaker Woo postpones budget bill deadline to the 10th
"Must urge guarantee of National Assembly's review rights," conveys opinion
Impeachment motions filed against Audit Chief and Central District Prosecutor
Choo Kyung-ho criticizes "Deobureo Bangtan Party, Impeachment Addiction Party"

As the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the submission of the reduced budget proposal, tensions escalated on the 2nd during the National Assembly plenary session as the impeachment motions against the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) chief and prosecutors were consecutively reported.

Speaker Woo Won-shik announced on the day, which is the legal deadline for the passage of next year's budget, that "after much deliberation, the budget will not be submitted to today's plenary session." Earlier, the Democratic Party of Korea had forcibly passed the next year's budget, reflecting only cuts without any increases, at the Budget and Accounts Special Committee and intended to submit the budget to the plenary session on the same day. However, the People Power Party strongly opposed and demanded the withdrawal of the reduced budget proposal, resulting in no agreement between the ruling and opposition parties.

On the 2nd, People Power Party lawmakers, including Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho, held a picket protest in front of the National Assembly plenary session hall condemning the Democratic Party of Korea's report on the impeachment motion against the Board of Audit and Inspection chairman. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Instead, Speaker Woo urged both parties to continue discussions until the 10th. Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choi Sang-mok on the day, Woo said, "This issue did not just happen; it arose because the government did not properly guarantee the National Assembly's right to review. As the Speaker, I express regret to the government," adding, "A proactive change in the government's attitude is necessary. They must cooperate actively."

The ruling and opposition parties engaged in a war of words through procedural speeches during the plenary session regarding the reduced budget proposal.

Opposition party whip in the Budget Committee, Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Young, stated, "Although budget cuts are the National Assembly's inherent authority, the cuts could harm the citizens affected and jeopardize the future industries and national competitiveness, so the procedure was carried out with utmost caution." He added, "Government expenses for the six major power institutions exceeded 2.02 trillion won, and even excluding the Special Activity Expenses (SAE) with expenditure evidence, 1.1 trillion won was spent recklessly without any proof of expenditure. That is why the cuts were made."

On the other hand, ruling party whip in the Budget Committee, People Power Party lawmaker Koo Ja-geun, said, "An unprecedented event in the history of the Republic of Korea's constitutional government, a new history is being written by the Democratic Party." He criticized, "We deliberated fiercely. The intense debate in the Budget Committee subcommittee just one or two hours ago suddenly changed. Without instructions from higher-ups, could it have changed so abruptly two hours ago?" He continued, "Without principles or standards, the Democratic Party cut budgets for the youth policy integration platform, asset formation for low-income children, nationwide mental investment budget, childcare support, and care allowances." He added, "Because they cut all budgets labeled 'global,' domestic research and development companies were all cut just because they had the global label." He also pointed out, "It was so bad that even Budget Committee Chairman Park Jung did not sign."

The impeachment motions against BAI Chief Choi Jae-hae and prosecutors Lee Chang-soo, Chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Cho Sang-won, 4th Deputy Chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Choi Jae-hoon, Head of the Anti-Corruption Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, all proposed by the Democratic Party, were reported together at the plenary session on the day. This is the first time an impeachment motion against the BAI chief has been proposed and reported in the plenary session of the National Assembly. The three prosecutors filed the impeachment motion, claiming that the prosecution did not properly investigate the allegations of stock price manipulation involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee and Deutsche Motors, which resulted in a non-prosecution decision.

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and others are entering the National Assembly plenary session hall on the 2nd. Behind them, members of the People Power Party are holding a picket protest condemning the Democratic Party's report on the impeachment of the Board of Audit and Inspection chief. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

The People Power Party held a condemnation rally in front of the National Assembly's Rotunda Hall on the day and immediately reacted. Floor leader Choo Kyung-ho of the People Power Party said, "The Democratic Party, which keeps recklessly running without brakes, is committing an unprecedented political assault in constitutional history," adding, "Throughout the 22nd National Assembly, they have endlessly shaken state affairs with legislative rampages, impeachment, and special prosecutor threats, and now they intend to paralyze state affairs entirely with the impeachment of the BAI chief and the prosecution leadership."

Floor leader Choo criticized, "The Democratic Party's revenge politics under leader Lee Jae-myung is endlessly unfolding through budget cuts and rampant impeachments. The Democratic Party, which is the only purpose of obstructing state affairs and shaking the regime and the only goal of bulletproofing, is the 'Democratic Bulletproof Party' and 'Impeachment Addiction Party.' Cutting off the prosecution's hands and feet is a petty trick to obstruct Lee Jae-myung's second trial and delay the Democratic Party's party convention money envelope scandal. It is political terrorism aimed at shaking state affairs and incapacitating the government."

According to the National Assembly Act, impeachment motions must be voted on within 72 hours after being reported to the plenary session, which must be at least 24 hours after the report. The impeachment motions against BAI Chief Choi and the three prosecutors in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office leadership are scheduled to be put to a vote at the plenary session on the 4th.