Over 350,000 sign petition to expel Lee Jun-seok over misogynistic remark
The petition came after Lee made a controversial misogynistic remark during a televised presidential debate on May 27, ahead of the June 3 presidential election.
The petition, posted on the National Assembly's petition page on May 28, called on the parliament to review Lee's qualifications as a lawmaker and take disciplinary action against Lee, as 'he betrayed people's trust and damaged the dignity of a member of the National Assembly.'
The petition is expected to be reviewed by the Assembly, as it garnered more than 50,000 signatures. If more than 50,000 people support a petition within 30 days of it being made public, it is considered valid and is deliberated by the relevant standing committee of the National Assembly.
However, under the Constitution, expelling a member from the National Assembly requires the consent of at least two-thirds of all sitting members.
The unnamed petitioner claimed that Lee, who was a presidential candidate of the New Reform Party in the June 3 election, committed verbal sexual violence by using inappropriate language that depicted violence against women.
'Legislators are the representatives of all citizens. This means that a National Assembly member must engage in legislative activities aimed at eliminating discrimination, hatred against minorities and upholding the dignified lives of the people," the petitioner said, requesting the National Assembly to expel Lee from office for violating Article 155 of the National Assembly Act.
The article stipulates that the assembly may take disciplinary action against lawmakers who violate general ethics principles for the National Assembly member or rules governing the ethical practice of members of the National Assembly.
"But his inappropriate, violent language and his irresponsible attitude in justifying his actions severely undermined people's trust and damaged the dignity expected of a National Assembly member,' the petitioner added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
9 hours ago
- Korea Herald
49 January courthouse rioters found guilty
A Seoul court on Friday found 49 people guilty for their participation in a January courthouse riot related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, with one of them receiving a five-year prison term. The Seoul Western District Court handed down the sentences to the individuals indicted en masse for their involvement in the riot at the same court building on Jan. 19, prompted by the court's decision to extend Yoon's detention over his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. The guilty sentences ranged from a 2 million-won ($1,423) fine to a prison term of up to five years. A 19-year-old, surnamed Shim, received the heaviest sentence of five years for trespassing at the court building through a broken window, assaulting a police officer and attempting to commit arson. "A heavy sentence is inevitable as (the defendant) also attempted arson by buying a lighter from a nearby convenience store, posing serious harm to the judiciary and endangering public safety," the court said. The court also sentenced a 48-year-old surnamed Lee to three years in prison on charges of damaging a judge's office door after entering the courthouse during the riot. Another defendant surnamed Yoo was sentenced to a four-year term for assaulting a police officer and breaking a glass door. "(These acts) not only damage the legitimacy of the judiciary as given by the Constitution, but they also discourage independent judgment by justices and greatly set back the rule of law in our society," the court said.
Korea Herald
12 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee to go on weeklong summer vacation
President Lee Jae Myung's weeklong summer vacation will start this weekend, during which he will spend his time at the presidential resort on an island located near the southern city of Geoje, his office said Friday. Lee's official vacation period is from Aug. 4 to 8, but it will start from Saturday. At the historic resort on Jeodo Island, he plans to reflect on the country's political situation and take time to 'recharge by reading books and watching movies,' the presidential office said. Lee plans to continue to keep an eye on key state affairs, such as matters tied to people's livelihoods. He will receive reports from the presidential office in case of an emergency or if urgent issues need to be addressed. Lee's break comes soon after a trade deal was reached between Seoul and Washington on Thursday, in which tariffs on South Korean imports were lowered to 15 percent from the initially proposed 25 percent in return for a $350 billion investment pledge from Korea into key US economic sectors. US President Donald Trump, on the same day the trade agreement was reached, mentioned a potential summit with Lee in "the next two weeks." Officials in Seoul and Washington have started discussions to arrange the meeting, according to South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, speaking to reporters after meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, US time.
Korea Herald
13 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Pro-labor, broadcast reform bills to be put to vote next week
Several contentious bills, including one pro-labor bill and three aimed at reducing government influence over public broadcasters, will be put to a vote at the National Assembly next week after a parliamentary standing committee approved them on Friday. The Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, led by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, voted in favor of passing the three broadcasting bills and the pro-labor bill dubbed the 'Yellow Envelope Law' during a meeting. All four bills are sponsored by the ruling party and the liberal Lee Jae Myung administration. With 16 of the 18 committee members in attendance, all bills passed after 10 voted in favor, with six abstentions. Of the total 18 members, 10 are lawmakers of the ruling party, including the committee's chair, Rep. Lee Choon-suak of the Democratic Party. Seven are main opposition People Power Party lawmakers, while one is a member of the minor progressive Rebuilding Korea Party. Committee members belonging to the People Power Party vocally protested during Friday's vote. Democratic Party members, however, refused to hold a debate over the bills despite the main opposition's request. The bills will be put to a vote during a parliamentary plenary session scheduled for Monday. The People Power Party announced plans to launch a filibuster to delay the passage of the legislation. The 'Yellow Envelope Law' is a revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act that focuses on restricting companies from claiming damages against legitimate disputes involving labor unions. The nickname stems from the donations that the public sent to support SsangYong Motor workers in 2014, after they were laid off and faced court orders to compensate their employer for the damages made to company properties during a strike. South Korean business lobby groups, the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the European Chamber of Commerce have all voiced concerns that the passage of the bill could prompt foreign companies to withdraw from the Korean market. Meanwhile, the amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act aim to increase the number of board directors at public broadcasters KBS, MBC and EBS, respectively. The set of bills quintessentially seeks to reform the governance structure of the public broadcasters by reducing the government and the National Assembly's power to name the board directors. The opposition claims the restructuring aims to reinforce the influence of labor unions. All four bills were previously vetoed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol when he was in office, after the Assembly at the time, led by then-main opposition Democratic Party, passed them.
