The People Power Party's recommendation of Lee Sang-hyun, a professor of international law at Soongsil University (standing commissioner), and Woo In-sik, a lawyer (non-standing commissioner), for the National Human Rights Commission was rejected during the National Assembly's plenary session on the 27th. The past support of both figures for martial law and for the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol appears to have triggered backlash from the ruling party.
The National Assembly held a vote in the afternoon with an electronic secret ballot on the two candidates' election proposals; however, the number of votes in favor did not meet a majority (Lee Sang-hyun received 99 votes in favor and 168 against, with 3 abstentions; Woo In-sik received 99 votes in favor and 166 against, with 5 abstentions).
The National Human Rights Commission consists of a chairperson, four standing commissioners, and seven non-standing commissioners. Of these, four are recommended by the National Assembly, and the two seats that the People Power Party can recommend are currently vacant due to the resignation of standing commissioner Lee Chung-sang and the failure to reappoint non-standing commissioner Han Seok-hoon.
The People Power Party previously nominated lawyers Ji Young-jun and Park Hyung-myeong as candidates, but this was not even brought to the floor for discussion due to pushback from the ruling party during the plenary session in July. Although they have now re-nominated Professor Lee and lawyer Woo, the proposals were rejected again. The Democratic Party of Korea left the vote to the members' 'free voting,' but it is interpreted that a majority of members from the ruling party opposed it.
Professor Lee is affiliated with the 'National Professors' Association for Social Justice,' which issued a statement last December asserting that 'the substantive reasons for martial law are the widespread distrust of voters regarding election manipulation and the seizure of evidence regarding the intentional concealment of 'electronic evidence' by the election management authorities' and claimed that 'there are sufficient and justifiable reasons for the president to provoke martial law, which is an extraordinary power.'
Lawyer Woo participated in the joint legal team representing Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church and also took on the defense of the head of the security bureau who attempted to prevent the arrest of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
As the election proposal for the human rights commissioner was rejected, the People Power Party protested, shouting 'Rather dissolve the National Assembly' and 'Overthrow the dictatorship.'
People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Sang-beom criticized during a procedural statement, saying, 'Party recommendations are a spirit that grants each party the right to recommend candidates so that each party can autonomously nominate candidates,' adding that 'the rejection of the proposal disregards the fundamental values of party politics.' He continued, 'The actions that make it impossible to do anything if the Democratic Party does not want it show that our country is under dictatorship,' claiming it is 'a crisis of democracy caused by majority tyranny.' After his remarks, the People Power Party lawmakers exited the plenary hall.
As the recommendations for human rights commissioners were repeatedly thwarted, the Democratic Party of Korea raised the need for establishing criteria.
Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Mi-hwa, who followed Yoo, stated, 'The right to recommend candidates does not mean that parties should recommend anti-human rights figures,' strongly expressing regret over the People Power Party's actions aimed at reducing the human rights commission to a gathering of undesirables. She emphasized the need to promptly process the 'National Human Rights Commission Act amendment' to ensure fairness in the election process by forming a candidate review committee.
Floor leader Kim Byung-ki also expressed suspicion during a previous parliamentary meeting, saying, 'I cannot help but suspect that this is a deliberate attempt to continue recommending such figures,' and emphasized that it is necessary to maintain a record of human rights activities for the socio-economically disadvantaged and to uphold constitutional democratic order when recommending candidates.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik unusually expressed his position on the agenda. He pointed out, 'For the National Assembly to recommend individuals who support unconstitutional and illegal martial law is tantamount to the National Assembly denying itself.' He continued, expressing difficulty agreeing with the exit in protest against this agenda, and proceeded with the meeting.