On the 5th, People Power Party lawmakers who attended an outdoor rally opposing the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol insisted on participating in the party-level rally, asking, “What are the People Power Party lawmakers and leadership doing?” Accordingly, it is reported that dozens of People Power Party members will gather in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 6th, the expiration date of the arrest warrant for President Yoon, to block the execution of the arrest warrant by the High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Office (Corruption Investigation Office). This is the first time since the impeachment that dozens of People Power Party lawmakers have taken group action.
A pro-Yoon (pro-Yun Seok-yeol) lawmaker said in a phone call with the Dong-A Ilbo that day, “About 40 to 50 ruling party lawmakers will gather in front of the official residence on the 6th.” It was reported that ruling party lawmakers and party officials received a text message on this day titled ‘Emergency Notice Hannam-dong Gathering Information’. A neutral ruling party lawmaker said, “This is to prepare for the re-execution of arrest warrants by the Corruption Investigation Office,” and added, “We plan to persuade lawmaker Chin Yoon-gye to come and join us.”
The day before, nine members of the People Power Party, including Cho Bae-sook, Lee Cheol-gyu, Kang Seung-gyu, Koo Ja-geun, Park Sung-min, Lee In-seon, Kim Min-jeon, Lim Jong-deuk, and Cho Ji-yeon, participated in an outdoor rally against President Yoon’s impeachment held in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Representative Yoon Sang-hyun previously attended an anti-impeachment rally held in the Gwanghwamun area of Jongno-gu, Seoul. The rally on this day was led by Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church and others. Rep. Yoon claimed at the Gwanghwamun rally, “You and I are truly waging a sacred war to protect the liberal democratic system of the Republic of Korea.” Rep. Lee Cheol-gyu said, “We will correct the wrong impeachment,” and added, “Some lawmakers (supporting the impeachment of the ruling party) gave in to the instigation of civil war by the Democratic Party of Korea and the leftists in the National Assembly, failing to fulfill the responsibility entrusted to us by the people.” First-term lawmaker Kim Min-jeon shared a post and photo on Facebook with the message that “Chinese people are participating in pro-impeachment rallies,” but deleted it after controversy arose.
Representative Yoon visited the Hannam-dong residence on the 3rd when the Corruption Investigation Office executed the arrest warrant for President Yoon. Rep. Lee Cheol-gyu and Park Seong-min are people classified as ‘Jjinyun’ (true pro-Yoon Seok-yeol). Rep. Kang Seung-gyu is a former senior presidential staff member who served as Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Society, and Rep. Lim Jong-deuk served as Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office. Rep. Kim Min-jeon served as a pro-Yoon faction top member under former representative Han Dong-hoon’s regime, and Rep. Koo Ja-geun and Lee In-seon’s constituency is Daegu and Gyeongbuk (TK). Representative Lee Cheol-gyu said in a phone call, “I am not defending President Yoon’s emergency martial law itself,” and “the problem is the behavior of the Corruption Investigation Office, which does not have the power to investigate treason, and is pushing it like crazy.”
The leadership of the ruling party looks perplexed as some lawmakers participate in the rally and even claim to join the leadership. Floor leader Kwon Seong-dong sent a message distancing himself from President Yoon, saying, “Criticizing the Corruption Investigation Office’s execution of the president’s arrest warrant is not protecting the president,” but the leadership’s stance is that it will not block the actions of individual lawmakers. Chief Spokesperson Shin Dong-wook met with reporters after a joint meeting of the Emergency Response Committee and senior lawmakers on the 5th and said, “The leadership is in a cautious position.” “I did it,” he said. Rep. Cho Kyung-tae said, “The people will see it as defending and protecting the president,” and added, “The party is making a mistake.” There was also criticism within the party that “pro-Yoon lawmakers are helping President Yoon divide the people.”
Reporter Lee Sang-heon [email protected]
Reporter Jo Kwon-hyung [email protected]
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