Kim Min-seok, the leader of the Democratic Party, expressed opposition to the claim made by Lee Seok-yeon, head of the National Integration Committee, that President Lee Jae-myung should resign for the sake of national unity. He stated, "The Constitution stipulates political parties," during a party meeting held at the National Assembly on August 20.
Kim emphasized, "The party constitution and regulations clearly outline the relationship between the party and the president." He added, "According to Article 105 of the party constitution, a member elected as president has the right to participate in party decisions and the obligation to implement party policies. The party must actively support the president's governance."
He further noted that the recent calls for a complete separation of party and government, as well as the notion of a president leaving the party in their first year, stem from a misunderstanding of the Constitution.
Additionally, Kim mentioned a dinner he had the previous day with President Lee and fellow lawmakers Jeong Cheong-rae and Song Young-gil, who competed in the party convention. He stated, "We discussed various matters and concluded that we should move forward together after successfully navigating the party convention process," indicating a desire for unity within the party.
Regarding the controversy surrounding Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae's sudden nomination, Kim remarked, "I believe he has sufficient grounds for impeachment," but added, "I think we need time to adequately inform the public about the necessity of impeachment."
He also expressed hope that the Supreme Court and the judiciary would clarify their positions, asserting, "If the Chief Justice makes a mistake, the Supreme Court and the judiciary should humbly acknowledge their errors."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.