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| ▲ Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung (R) speaks during a general meeting of lawmakers at the National Assembly on Oct. 25, 2022. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party hold signs calling on President Yoon Suk-yeol to stop suppressing the opposition in front of the main chamber of the National Assembly in western Seoul, boycotting Yoon's budget speech on Oct. 25, 2022. (Pool photo) (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) DP-Yoon
(2nd LD) Main opposition party boycotts Yoon's budget speech
(ATTN: UPDATES with ruling party, minor progressive party's reactions)
By Lee Minji and Kim Na-young
SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) boycotted President Yoon Suk-yeol's budget speech Tuesday in protest of what it calls suppression of the opposition, marking the first such boycott in South Korea's history.
DP lawmakers did not attend the 10 a.m. session and instead held a silent protest upon Yoon's arrival at the National Assembly. DP leaders also stayed away from a meeting Yoon held with the National Assembly speaker and other key figures ahead of the speech.
It marked the first opposition boycott of a budget speech the president has delivered in person, though opposition lawmakers have a record of boycotting a budget speech read by the prime minister on behalf of the president.
"We condemn Yoon Suk-yeol government for neglecting people's livelihood and suppressing the opposition," DP lawmakers shouted in front of the main chamber.
The lawmakers held signs calling on Yoon to apologize for disregarding parliament, including his use of foul language in reference to the opposition-controlled National Assembly during his trip to New York last month.
Rep. Park Hong-keun, floor leader of the DP, said the party cannot attend the speech at a time when the Yoon administration "suppresses the opposition party and denies the legislature while turning a blind eye to people's livelihoods."
The boycott came a day after prosecutors raided the DP headquarters as part of an investigation into allegations that a longtime confidant of party leader Lee Jae-myung took illegal political funds that could have been used for Lee's election campaign.
Lee has rejected such allegations and denied any wrongdoing.
The DP has demanded Yoon apologize for "suppressing the opposition" and agree to an independent counsel investigation, claiming that the scandal also involved those close to Yoon.
"If the government and the ruling party annihilate the opposition and show their attempt to violently dominate, we can only but fight against them," the opposition leader said during a general meeting of lawmakers earlier in the day. "We declare to fight with the people until the end."
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) slammed the DP's boycott, calling it a "disregard for the constitutional order."
"Is protecting DP Chair Lee Jae-myung from illegal political fund allegations valuable enough to abandon a lawmaker's basic duties?" PPP spokesperson Yang Kum-hee said.
Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon of the PPP called on Lee to step down.
"If Lee is so confident, he should greet the president. What is he so afraid of that he wants to avoid?" Kim said, urging Lee to resign to "help the DP escape from a swamp of death."
Meanwhile, the minor progressive Justice Party lawmakers attended the address but held pickets demanding Yoon's apology over the foul language incident. They left the main chamber shortly after his speech.
During Yoon's meeting with key political leaders ahead of the speech, Justice Party interim chief Lee Eun-ju reportedly urged Yoon to apologize, but Yoon said he has done nothing that he needs to apologize for, according to participants.
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