People Power Party's choice for their committee representative, Rep. Na Kyung-won, vetoed by ruling Democratic Party members in an unprecedented vote

Members of South Korea’s rival political parties clash during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)
Members of South Korea’s rival political parties clash during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

South Korea’s rival parties may have added a new mark to the country’s storied history of political wrangling on Tuesday: One party nominated its own representative as chief negotiator on a committee, only for that appointment to be vetoed by the other party in an unprecedented vote.

This happened during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, with Rep. Na Kyung-won of the conservative opposition People Power Party at the center of the drama.

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party speaks during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)
Rep. Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party speaks during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

The committee, like others, is managed by a chairperson — a member of the ruling Democratic Party currently, and two chief party representatives — one from the ruling bloc and the other from the opposition — who assist the chair in managing and coordinating key agenda and procedural schedules.

While the chair’s seat is often hotly contested, the two party representatives have traditionally been appointed through mutual agreement between the parties, even in the most tense periods.

However, on Tuesday, the ruling liberal party, which holds an outright majority in the country’s unicameral parliament, challenged the nomination of Rep. Na by the People Power Party, over her ties to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is under trial for allegedly leading an insurrection with his Dec. 3 martial law declaration. They also pointed to her own onling trial, where prosecutors are seeking a two-year prison term on charges of violence in the parliament in April 2019.

A polling booth is set up in the committee room during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee. (Yonhap)
A polling booth is set up in the committee room during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee. (Yonhap)

As DP members objected to Rep. Na's recommendation and demand a vote to be held on the matter, committee chair Rep. Choo Mi-ae accepted it, sparking fierce protests from PPP members. Outnumbered, PPP members walked out, and in the subsequent vote, Na’s appointment was rejected unanimously. The committee consists of 18 members: 9 from the DP, 7 from the PPP, 2 from a minor Rebuilding Korea Party and one independent.

Rep. Choo Mi-ae, chair of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, strikes the gavel during a plenary session of the committee at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. (Lee Sang-sub / The Korea Herald)
Rep. Choo Mi-ae, chair of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, strikes the gavel during a plenary session of the committee at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. (Lee Sang-sub / The Korea Herald)

“This is an unprecedented abuse of power in South Korea’s constitutional history,” shouted PPP Rep. Song Seog-jun. He added Rep. Na was recommended by her own party as the party's voice and blocking it was nothing short of a legislative assault by a majority party.


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