[Anchor]
Today, in the National Assembly, there is a prospect that a vote on the impeachment recommendation against Lee Jin-sook, the Chairperson of the Broadcasting and Communications Committee, will take place.
There is also an ongoing filibuster regarding the legislation for providing 250,000 won to all citizens, so let’s connect to the National Assembly to find out more details. This is Reporter Kang Minkyeong!
Today, the impeachment recommendation for Lee Jin-sook, the Chairperson of the Broadcasting and Communications Committee, is expected to be brought up in the plenary session.
If passed, her duties will be suspended just two days after her appointment, right?
[Reporter]
That’s correct. It looks likely that the impeachment recommendation for Lee Jin-sook, the Chairperson of the Broadcasting and Communications Committee, will pass in the plenary session today, led solely by the opposition party.
The impeachment bill for the Chairperson was reported to the plenary session by the opposition yesterday, and if a vote is not held within 72 hours after the report, the bill will be scrapped.
As the impeachment bill for the Chairperson can pass if a majority of the attending lawmakers approve it, there is a high possibility that it will be passed in the plenary session led by the ruling Democratic Party with 170 seats.
The opposition plans to forcefully end the ongoing filibuster and push for a vote on this impeachment bill by the afternoon.
If passed, this Chairperson will have her duties suspended just two days after her appointment, which would be a first in the history of the Broadcasting and Communications Committee.
Before the impeachment bill passes, the uncertainty lies in whether the Chairperson will voluntarily step down.
The opposition speculates that due to remaining issues such as the EBS board appointments, she may not resign immediately.
The Chairperson has stated that she may have difficulty attending the full committee meeting of the National Assembly scheduled for this morning due to ‘health reasons.’
[Anchor]
It is said that the political situation in the National Assembly is still facing a filibuster. Can you tell us about the current situation?
[Reporter]
Yes. In the plenary session of the National Assembly, the ruling party’s unlimited debate on the legislation for providing 250,000 won to all citizens, which was a campaign promise of former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, is ongoing.
Newcomer Park Sumin of the main opposition party spoke against it for 15 hours and 50 minutes, setting a new record for the longest speech.
The ruling party plans to forcibly end the unlimited debate through a vote around 3 p.m., after 24 hours since the filibuster began, and proceed with the passage of the bill.
After handling the impeachment recommendation for Lee Jin-sook, they are expected to present the so-called ‘yellow envelope law.’
The main opposition party is also preparing to filibuster, and it is expected that the ‘filibuster politics’ will continue until midnight tomorrow, when the July extraordinary session of the National Assembly ends.
[Anchor]
Let’s also touch upon the situation with the ruling party’s appointments.
[Reporter]
Former Policy Committee Chair Jung Jeong-sik, who is known to be close to Yun Seok-yeol, has finally resigned. What will happen with the ruling party’s appointments going forward?
This morning, Han Dong-hoon is expected to be announced as the newly appointed Policy Committee Chair.
It is known that Kim Sang-hoon, a four-term lawmaker from Daegu, is practically designated for that position because he is evaluated to have a light factional color within the party.
As for the appointment of the highest-ranking officials, Kim Jong-hyuk, former Deputy Head of the Organization Department, is mentioned as a likely candidate, but it is expected not to be included in the announcement this morning.
It is widely evaluated that with the voluntary resignation of former Policy Committee Chair Jung Jeong-sik, a position where the pro-Yun faction can expand its influence has been created.
However, some suggest that as coordination with the Policy Committee Chair is needed, along with discussions at the Assembly, the sparks of conflicts between pro-Han and pro-Yun factions have not completely disappeared.
With one representative securing a majority through additional appointments among the nine highest-ranking members, attention is focused on the future dynamics within the ruling party.
That’s the latest update from the National Assembly.