Han Byeong-do, the acting leader of the Democratic Party, warned on July 9 that if the People Power Party continues its boycott in response to the formation of the National Assembly's second half, he will take decisive action for a functioning legislature. He also criticized Jang Dong-hyuk, who participated in a protest holding a sign denouncing President Lee Jae-myung, calling it "an utterly lowly act."
During a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly, Han stated, "The National Assembly Act stipulates that a plenary session should be held every Thursday. The Democratic Party strongly requested National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik to convene a plenary session today to process pending livelihood bills. However, the People Power Party's refusal to cooperate has delayed the processing of these important bills once again."
Han condemned the People Power Party for staging a picket protest in front of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee meeting room on July 8, where a bill aimed at abolishing supplementary investigative powers was being discussed. He remarked, "The People Power Party gathered the day before at the committee meeting room to disrupt the proceedings with protests and press conferences. Some members even attempted to forcefully enter the meeting room, causing chaos. Shouldn't they at least refrain from obstructing the work of the Assembly?"
He specifically referenced President Lee's statement that "one hour of the president's time is equivalent to one hour for the 51.6 million citizens of South Korea," asserting, "The time wasted by the People Power Party is precious time for 50 million citizens. There is a limit to enduring a strike without justification."
Han emphasized, "If the People Power Party continues its work stoppage, the Democratic Party will make responsible decisions and take action to create a functioning National Assembly."
Additionally, he pointed out Jang Dong-hyuk's recent appearance holding a sign criticizing President Lee, stating, "The politics of lowly insults have gone too far. This is an utterly disrespectful act towards the head of state." He added, "Using the head of state for political gain and personal survival is a disgraceful form of politics. The one who is creating a dictatorial political environment through unprecedented disciplinary actions is Jang himself."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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