Enlarging an image
News summary on the way home from work, Subsletter Evening.
President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's side took out a referendum card for the bill to overthrow the scrutiny, and it is calculated that the opposition will prevail and cast a score based on the public opinion as a springboard.
But is it feasible?
The power of the people to launch a referendum through a debate
People's Power Rep. Sang-beom Yoo and Rep. Jo Jung-hoon of Transformation of the Ages co-hosted a national debate on 'Inspection vs. End of Corruption', where the referendum issue was heavily discussed.
Enlarging an image
In the discussion, Professor Ho-sun Lee of Kookmin University mentioned overseas cases such as Switzerland where the referendum system is being used in national policy making, and then said, "I hope that the people's direct suffrage and legislative rights will be rationally checked and balanced through the referendum." Professor Lee explained that if legal and political conditions are met, the June 1 local elections and the referendum can be held at the same time.
Jang Je-won, "Isn't it an overpass to enter the National Election Commission impossible?"
The first to come up with a referendum proposal was Jang Je-won, the president-elect's chief of staff.
After Yoon took office yesterday (27th), Chief of Staff Jang said that he would review the plan to ask the people directly through a referendum during the June 1 local election and report it to Yoon-elect.
However, the National Election Commission took a negative stance, saying, 'According to the current regulations, it is impossible to conduct a referendum because the list of voters cannot be drawn up.
The National Election Commission made such a statement because some provisions of the Referendum Act, which restrict overseas citizens from exercising their right to referendum, have lost their effect due to the Constitutional Court’s decision to be unconstitutional in 2014, making it impossible to create a list of voters for a referendum.
However, chief of staff Jang met with reporters today (28th) and asked, "The National Election Commission is a consensus system. It's not officially concluded by submitting an agenda to the National Election Commission, but isn't it too much for the office staff to talk like that?" He criticized the position of the Election Commission.
Enlarging an image
Jang Je-won, chief of the secretary general, said that he had not yet reported to the elected person, but before that, he also said that the supplementary legislation of the 'examination and complete referendum' should be promoted first.
◆ Jang Je-won, Chief of Staff: I think that it is not too far for the office staff to talk like that (no referendum), even though it was not officially decided by the Central Election Commission's agenda.
◇ Reporter: Did you report the winner?
◆ Jang Je-won Chief of Staff: I haven't given it yet.
First and foremost, wouldn't it be quicker to legally supplement it in the National Assembly?
It's a voter list issue, but if you organize the issue, it's not difficult to legislate.
Legislation is important, and if the Democratic Party does not pass it, it can only be seen as a fear of a referendum.
The power of the people to match the frequency
Jang Je-won, chief of staff, talked about 'supplemental legislation', but people from the People's Power said the same thing.
After completing the highest level, CEO Lee Jun-seok told reporters, "If there is any need for support from the party by communicating with the transition committee, we must immediately revise the part about Koreans living abroad." It should have been done, but there are parts where these things were not discussed in relation to the constitutional amendment at the time. The National Assembly was wrong."
It can be seen that the people's power and Yun's side formed a consensus on the referendum.
So, the people's power is in line with the elected side, saying that the party should promote supplementary legislation, which is a prerequisite for the referendum.
Democrats "Add Law Study"
There is no way the Democrats can stand still to put the legislation led by the Democrats into a referendum.
Lee Su-jin, floor spokesperson, gave a briefing titled 'The Yoon Seok-yeol transition committee, the power of the people and the prosecution, please study the constitution and law properly' and "The Yoon Seok-yeol transition committee and the people's power do not even have a basic understanding of the constitution" "An anti-constitutional law that ignores the legislative power of the National Assembly Stop the act."
Yoon Seok-yeol, the transition committee, the power of the people, and the prosecution, please study the Constitution and the law properly
Article 72 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea.
“If the President deems it necessary, he may submit important policies related to foreign affairs, national defense, unification, and other important national security policies to a referendum.
”
Isn't it a matter of safety for the vested interests?
This confirmed the fact that the Yoon Seok-yeol transition committee and the people's power did not even have a basic understanding of the constitution.
(..) Also yesterday, the prosecution said that they would review the request for constitutional adjudication, citing procedural issues and contents of the legislative parliamentary review and resolution process.
It is surprising that a single agency in the executive branch would challenge the constitutionality of the legislative power of the National Assembly.
The power of the Korean prosecutor's office is also remarkable.
Ho-jung Yun, chairman of the Joint Emergency Response Committee, set the day on YTN Radio by saying, "Elect Yoon Seok-yeol is a declarative remark that the transition committee will do anything for the prosecution. Aren't lawyers from special prosecutors even stepping up to the presidential transition committee to protect the garden?"
Enlarging an image
I think that Yoon Seok-yeol's remarks are declarative that the transition committee will do anything for the prosecution.
I don't know why I'm so obsessed with the prosecution issue.
They threaten the people by saying that criminal investigations become more difficult.
(..) I can't erase these suspicions that lawyers from special prosecutors are even stepping up to the presidential transition team to protect the prosecutor's lunch box and vegetable garden.
"Put in a referendum before the Oval Office"
There are also Democratic lawmakers who counterattack saying that the relocation of the presidential office should be put to a referendum rather than a bill to overhaul it.
Kim Seong-hwan, chairman of the policy committee, defined it as "the sound of banging a pole while sleeping" and said, "I don't know what the adjustment of the prosecution's investigation authority has to do with national security. The people are rather suggesting that the relocation of the president's office in Yongsan be put to a vote. It's a matter."
Enlarging an image
(Remarks by the Chief of Staff Jang Je-won) Our proverb says that we make a sound of knocking on a pole while sleeping.
Rather, the people are calling for a referendum to relocate the office to Yongsan.
Office relocation has a significant impact on national security.
Even if he concedes a hundred times and becomes grounds for a referendum, he is currently unable to hold a referendum.
Rep. Ko Min-jung also posted a similar message on social media.
Enlarging an image
Nevertheless, if you want to ignore the law and push forward recklessly, there are various first-class security documents, including the NSC, and we demand that they be submitted to a referendum before the Blue House, which is directly related to national security.
Does the people's power really want a referendum?
If you look at the Democratic Party's reaction, the people's power is unwilling to cooperate even if they propose supplementary legislation to resolve the inconsistency of the constitution, so it is difficult to pursue legislation.
Moreover, no referendum has actually been held since the constitutional amendment in 1987.
Even if supplementary legislation is passed, there is a high probability that the opposition and opposition parties will only have a politically exhausting debate over whether the oversight bill meets the requirements for a referendum, and there is no possibility of an agreement.
If so, the power of the people should reconsider whether a referendum is a realistically feasible card.
But will the power of the people have an advantage if a referendum is held?
The possibility of a vote asking for confidence or distrust of President-elect Yoon increases.
In the past, the referendum on free meals for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was also conducted as a vote of re-confidence, leading to the resignation of Mayor Oh.
Can President-elect Yoon take such a risk?
Since it is unrealistic and even dangerous, isn't the people's power demand for a referendum a means of public opinion warfare rather than a real goal?
a piece of the day
Enlarging an image
On the left is a picture of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the 25th, and on the right is a picture of President Kim Il-sung in 1953.
Are the clothes similar?
They're all called uniforms.
The picture of Kim Il-sung was taken when he first appeared wearing the uniform of the generals when the victory parade was held right after the armistice agreement of the Korean War.
The fact that Chairman Kim Jong-un appeared in the uniform of his enemies can be interpreted as an idolization work to identify with Kim Il-sung.
Enlarging an image
(Photo = National Assembly Photo Correspondents, Takeover Photo Correspondents, Yonhap News)