DPK Approval Rating in 'Red Light' Over Push to Expel Lee Jin-sook

Analysis suggests that the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s submission of a resolution to expel People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Lee Jin-sook is, in fact, strengthening Rep. Lee's political standing. Seonwoo Yoon-ho commented, "The DPK is showing moves to expel Rep. Lee Jin-sook from her parliamentary seat, but this is rather making her a potential presidential candidate." He pointed out that the DPK's attempt could backfire. The fact that the expulsion of a lawmaker requires the consent of more than two-thirds of the registered members of the National Assembly, making it virtually impossible to pass, further supports this analysis.

The DPK's attempt to expel Rep. Lee Jin-sook has been criticized as an act that obstructs parliamentary debate, a fundamental duty of a lawmaker. Lee Jae-neung strongly criticized, saying, "If merely holding a debate can lead to expulsion, then the provision requiring agreement from more than two-thirds would not have been created. I believe the DPK's actions are a classic example of 'double standards'." Given that lawmakers have the crucial responsibility of forming a public forum based on diverse opinions and developing policies through discussion, the DPK's behavior is seen as employing a double standard.

Criticism has emerged that the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) itself was the perpetrator that undermined the spirit of May 18. Lee Jae-neung referred to an incident in 2000 during the eve of May 18, when DPK officials such as Song Young-gil and Kim Min-seok engaged in abusive language at a room salon. He questioned, "Who was it that went to the New Millennium NHK room salon during the May 18 eve in 2000, including Song Young-gil and Kim Min-seok, who is now the DPK party leader, and engaged in abusive language while entertaining staff, as they say?" This has led to criticism that the DPK is confining May 18 to political factionalism and exploiting it for their own benefit.

The DPK's behavior of criticizing the mere hosting of a debate and escalating it into a 'culture war' has been criticized. Park Sung-jin pointed out, "It was simply just holding a debate. But then, a comment from one participant became an issue, and it was reported by the media. Now, they are waging a culture war, using this to try and corner the People Power Party." He stated that Rep. Lee Jin-sook, acting as a conservative attacker, became a target for the DPK, which is trying to exploit this politically. The prevailing opinion is that discussion is the strength that sustains democracy, and therefore, criticizing the debate itself is inappropriate.

It has been pointed out that the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s attempt to monopolize the spirit of May 18 is, in fact, leading to its own national isolation. Kim Jun-soo expressed concern, stating, "This is similar to the Starbucks incident and the Baejegu incident. Why are they isolating themselves regarding May 18, making it impossible to even mention it? What will happen then? They will become isolated." Citing past cases where students were harmed by controversies such as the Starbucks incident and the Baejegu baseball team incident, he criticized the DPK for hindering healthy debate on May 18, thereby making national consensus difficult. He emphasized that broad public consensus and discussion are essential for including May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution.

Criticism has been raised that the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) applies double standards to issues related to May 18, depending on political alignment. Lee Jae-neung strongly condemned, saying, "If it's their faction, such acts on the eve of May 18 are forgiven, but if it's another faction, merely holding an academic forum becomes grounds for expulsion. I find the DPK's 'double standards,' to put it mildly, disgusting." He pointed out that tolerating controversies involving DPK figures on the eve of May 18 while deeming even holding an academic forum as grounds for expulsion is an extreme example of double standards.

The importance of forming a consensus and engaging in debate for the inclusion of the May 18 spirit in the preamble of the Constitution was emphasized. Lee Jae-neung questioned, "If we cannot even hold such debates, then as lawmakers, we have a duty to inform the public why May 18 should be included in the preamble. If we refuse even these kinds of debates, won't it be difficult to form a national consensus for including May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution?" He pointed out that attempts to include May 18 in the constitutional preamble without national consensus could hinder the formation of public consensus and even provoke backlash.

It is reported that when lawmaker Kim Tae-gyu proposed to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo that the spirit of June 25 (Korean War) freedom also be included in the Constitution, the government showed a passive attitude. Lee Jae-neung stated, "When lawmaker Kim Tae-gyu suggested to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo that the spirit of June 25 freedom also be included in the Constitution, the Prime Minister replied that there was not yet enough national consensus and that procedures needed to be followed." This has led to calls for the government to apply consistent standards in discussions about constitutional inclusion of the contrasting historical events of May 18 and June 25. It is difficult to avoid criticism of double standards when actively advocating for the inclusion of May 18 in the constitutional preamble while responding that there is a lack of national consensus for the spirit of June 25 freedom.

Criticism has been raised that the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is demonstrating an attitude of suppressing freedom of thought and expression. Lee Jae-neung, using the example of socialist theory where the state controls private property for public interest, argued, "For example, among socialist theories, the basic ideology of socialism is that the state controls private property for the public good and directly intervenes through state ownership. That's what May 18 is about. The May 18 Democratization Movement was about preserving and defending the environment where free discussion like this is possible." He emphasized that the May 18 Democratization Movement was for upholding a free environment where diverse discussions are possible, and pointed out that the DPK is, in fact, infringing on freedom of expression. This is interpreted as stemming from an attitude that seeks to use the spirit of May 18 solely as a political tool.

A warning has been issued that the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s 독선적인 (self-righteous) political actions, which fail to gain public consensus, will ultimately lead to a decline in approval ratings. Lee Jae-neung asserted, "They still haven't come to their senses. Just wait and see. It will plummet to the 20% range in an instant. I'll see if they can still say the same things then." It is pointed out that the DPK's attitudes regarding the controversy over Rep. Lee Jin-sook's expulsion and other May 18-related issues are failing to garner public consensus and are instead causing resentment. A pessimistic forecast suggests that if these actions persist, the DPK's approval rating could sharply drop to the 20% range.