The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) railroaded a motion for the dismissal of Foreign Minister Park Jin through the National Assembly, Thursday. The DPK earlier tabled the motion requesting President Yoon Suk-yeol sack Park by holding him responsible for the alleged diplomatic gaffes during Yoon's recent overseas trips.
The motion passed in a vote at an Assembly plenary session with support from 168 DPK lawmakers. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) members boycotted it along with the progressive Justice Party, which alleged the DPK was “exploiting the motion for political purposes.” This marked the seventh time that a motion aimed at discharging cabinet members passed the Assembly and the first such in the Yoon administration. Given this, the political conflict between the rival parties will likely escalate. The DPK is poised to continue pressuring Yoon to make an apology and dismiss Park.
Yet the PPP is fiercely refuting the DPK's move, describing it as “anti-state and self-destructive.” It submitted another motion asking House Speaker Kim Jin-pyo to step down for approving a change in the plenary session schedule, which enabled the DPK to approve the motion. The PPP earlier filed a legal suit against broadcaster MBC for “misreporting” on the foul language Yoon allegedly used at a fundraiser with U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly last week.
Despite the opposition offensive, Yoon indicated he would retain Park. In a brief press meet on Thursday morning, Yoon highly praised Park, dubbing him “an excellent capable man,” adding, “The people may know well which is right and which is wrong.” Park also said he would do what he can to carry out his responsibilities as foreign minister.
Park met with visiting U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday despite the Assembly's move to impeach him the same day. PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young criticized the DPK for having “stabbed Park in the back” while he was performing his duty for the sake of the national interest. The PPP also lambasted the DPK for intensifying the controversy at the cost of the alliance between Korea and the United States. The party has been taking flak for pushing with the motion, apparently in a move to protect DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung from growing legal risks.
Currently, the nation is facing multiple challenges arising from the plunging Korean won against the U.S. dollar, soaring consumer prices, escalating rivalry between the U.S. and China, rapid realignment of global supply chains, Russia's prolonging war in Ukraine and North Korea's possible seventh nuclear weapons test. All these challenges require proper reactions based on high degree of domestic caliber on the back of solid cooperation from both ruling and opposition parties.
With regard to the foul language case, Harris said the U.S. “does not care at all about the dispute.” She also quoted Biden as having said that he had “deep trust” in Yoon and was satisfied with his meetings with Yoon in London and New York last week, according to presidential deputy spokesman Lee Jae-myoung in a press briefing later Thursday. Now is the time for the ruling and opposition parties to stop their political wrangling and pay more heed to the looming challenges at home and abroad.