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| ▲ Rep. Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, delivers a speech at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Feb. 14, 2023. (Yonhap) |
ruling party-floor leader
Ruling party accuses main opposition of abusing majority power to damage parliamentary democracy
SEOUL, Feb. 14 (Yonhap) -- The floor leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday accused the main opposition party of undermining the value of parliamentary democracy with its majority power.
Rep. Joo Ho-young made the remarks in a speech at the National Assembly, criticizing the Democratic Party (DP) of railroading controversial bills on its own, such as the passage of a set of prosecution reform bills last year.
The DP holds 169 out of a total of 299 seats in the parliament, while the PPP holds 115 seats.
"Since the DP took an overwhelming majority of parliamentary seats in the last general elections, our parliamentary democracy has been crumbling rapidly," Joo said.
The PPP floor leader also attacked DP Chair Lee Jae-myung, saying corruption allegations surrounding Lee is hurting the "prestige of the National Assembly."
In recent months, Lee has faced prosecution investigations into multiple cases involving a land development scandal and corporate fund donations to a municipal football club.
"Lee has been insisting that legitimate investigations into all the suspicions surrounding him are political oppression," Joo said.
Joo called on the parliament to focus on dealing with such important issues as national security and the climate and demographic crisis the country is facing, saying the country has hard and soft power to overcome the challenges.
"If the Assembly leads this national fight against these challenges into success, it will be able to regain people's trust," he said, adding that South Korea's future is in the Assembly's hands.
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