The National Assembly's Steering Committee passed a resolution on the 25th urging the expulsion of People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-sook, in a vote led by the Democratic Party. People Power Party members declined to take part in the vote and walked out. The Democratic Party plans to form the National Assembly's Special Committee on Ethics to begin follow-up disciplinary proceedings against Lee.
In a secret ballot, the committee passed the resolution urging Lee's expulsion with all 17 votes in favor. The People Power Party did not join the vote and did not submit a list of vote counters. As a result, the committee designated only Democratic Party members as counters and proceeded with the ballot. Lee, the subject of the resolution, was given a chance to respond, but with no answer on whether she would attend, the explanatory statement and review report were replaced with written documents.
Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do said ahead of the vote that "Lawmaker Lee Jin-sook is not qualified to serve as a lawmaker," adding, "No matter how I look at it, this is not normal legislative activity." He continued, "Using a far-right group and with political intent, she spread false claims about 5·18 under the guise of a seminar," and argued, "Lawmaker Lee Jin-sook committed an anachronistic act aimed at mobilizing the far right by exploiting 5·18, going beyond the limits of our democracy."
"She cannot stand alongside us as a colleague," Han said. "We must pass the resolution urging expulsion unanimously today and swiftly form the Ethics Committee." He added, "I will strongly push for the Ethics Committee to be formed immediately," and said, "I say once again that we will hold her accountable through the Ethics Committee and will never let this matter be swept under the rug."
Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Mi-hwa criticized the People Power Party's absence from the vote. Seo said, "I strongly condemn the People Power Party for staying away from the passage of the resolution urging the expulsion of Lawmaker Lee Jin-sook, who is denigrating the spirit of 5·18 and distorting history." She said, "Denigrating and distorting this is not a difference of political opinion but a very serious problem that shakes the constitutional order and the foundations of democracy."
Progressive Party lawmaker Yoon Jong-oh also said, "What Lawmaker Lee Jin-sook should be submitting now is not a complaint but a letter of apology and a resignation from her seat in the National Assembly." He said, "I do not believe a member of the National Assembly has been granted the authority to distort history using their title and to insult history while hiding behind freedom of expression."
Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Jeong-heon stressed, "5·18 is our history of democracy on which the Republic of Korea has already reached a conclusion," adding, "The state recognized it, the courts ruled on it, and the National Assembly enacted a special law." He argued, "What is more frightening than Lawmaker Lee Jin-sook's distortion of history is neglecting and going along with that distortion," and said, "She must be expelled this time."
Following the passage of the resolution, the committee decided to pursue the formation of the Ethics Committee and follow-up disciplinary proceedings. Han said, "This matter goes beyond passing a resolution urging her expulsion today; I will make every effort to ensure that she is definitively expelled."
