The ruling and main opposition parties are narrowing their differences over the possible need to expel two controversial pro-North Korea lawmakers from the minor opposition Unified Progressive Party (UPP).
Park Jie-won, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), told reporters that his party will act to kick the two representatives ― Lee Seok-gi and Kim Jae-yeon ― out of the National Assembly by judging their qualifications to serve under a relevant law unless they step down voluntarily.
Parks’ statement comes after Lee and Kim refused to resign despite a public uproar over alleged vote rigging in their party’s primary, held to elect proportional candidates in March.
Their bipartisan move is positive in that the two lawmakers, who began their four-year term Wednesday, were not elected as candidates through a democratic process.
Park’s positive response to a call from the ruling Saenuri Party to expel the two lawmakers is understandable given that its alliance with the UPP has been on the brink of collapse in the run-up to the Dec. 19 presidential election. The opposition parties pin high hopes on their partnership in the presidential poll to compete against Park Geun-hye, Saenuri’s likely candidate, who is enjoying high popularity with the electorate.
As things stand now, there will be little problem ousting Lee and Kim if the two parties join forces. Clause 138 of the National Assembly Act stipulates that if more than 30 lawmakers want to expel a fellow lawmaker, an ethics panel will examine the case and put it to a vote of the entire legislature. If more than two-thirds of lawmakers attending the vote agree with the motion, the lawmaker is expelled. Currently, Saenuri and the DUP control 277 seats in the 300-member unicameral parliament with 150 and 127 seats, respectively.
The problem is that it will take a long time, at least several months, before the expulsion process is deliberated and completed. Saenuri and the DUP plan to provide the two problematic lawmakers with the chance to resign voluntarily. However, unless they comply, the rival parties will begin judging their qualifications to serve after partisan negotiations on forming the necessary parliamentary committees are settled.
Previously, we urged the two to give up their parliamentary seats, citing a host of problems that emerged in the leftist party’s election process but they didn’t do so. It would be belated, but even now it would be better for them to quit voluntarily in consideration of the public’s growing hostility towards the progressive parties.
It’s long overdue for the country’s liberal forces to split from those who follow North Korea’s anachronistic ``juche’’ (self-reliance) ideology. The time has come for them to make a fresh start.