Disappointment for troubled parliament inquiry session

During a parliamentary inquiry session on Monday, Liberty Korea Party (LKP) lawmaker Yeo Sang-kyoo, who also chairs the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, told Song Sam-hyun, chief prosecutor of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office that fast-tracking of reform bills is purely a political issue and therefore not something to be investigated by the prosecution. The lawmaker went on to say that a true prosecutorial reform is about determining which case to investigate or not and taking responsibility for it.

Yeo is one of the 60 LKP lawmakers, who have been charged for trying to stop the fast-tracking of reform bills back in April. He has been refusing to show up for questioning by the prosecution. Some say the scuffle between lawmakers over the fast-tracking of reform bills should be resolved politically but the incident is currently under investigation by the prosecution according to the law. It is undoubtedly inappropriate and an abuse of his power for the chairman of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee to push a district attorney not to investigate a case, in which he is involved.

Responding to Yeo’s remarks, Chief Prosecutor Song said he will handle the issue according to the law and principle but loud shouting and swearing immediately followed in protest of Yeo’s remarks. When ruling Democratic Party Rep. Kim Jong-min shouted to Yeo that he is disqualified for the position, Yeo hurled profanities at Kim. Democratic Party lawmakers protested strongly as Yeo was caught on camera while swearing. The Democratic Party of Korea has filed a complaint against Yeo with the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Ethics and the LKP has reacted against it, saying the ruling party is trying to set up a “kangaroo court.”

The parliamentary inquiry session turned into a profanity contest, where lawmakers shout and scream disparaging remarks to one another. There was another pathetic moment, where Rep. Kim shouted, “I’m not Cho Kuk” after LKP lawmakers accused him of not admitting his faults but only criticizing others’. People have expressed deep disappointment in lawmakers for not having a slightest political virtue, common sense, or restraint and turning a parliament inquiry session into a comedy and mudslinging.