Calls for the Expulsion of Lawmaker Lee Jun-seok Surge After Controversial Remarks
On June 3, Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform Party and former presidential candidate, made headlines during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Following a recent presidential debate, a petition demanding his expulsion gained significant traction, surpassing 150,000 signatures within just two days.
As of June 6, the petition titled 'Petition for the Expulsion of Lawmaker Lee Jun-seok' had garnered 156,380 endorsements, according to the National Assembly's petition website. Petitions that receive over 50,000 signatures are forwarded to the relevant parliamentary committee for review.
The petitioner stated that during the third presidential debate on May 27, Lee used violent and inappropriate language regarding women's bodies to attack his opponents, which they described as a form of sexual violence witnessed by all citizens. They criticized this behavior as unprecedented in the history of the constitution, arguing that using women's bodies as political weapons undermines public trust and tarnishes the dignity of lawmakers.
The petition also claims that Lee's remarks violate Article 46, Section 1 of the Constitution, which mandates lawmakers to uphold integrity, as well as Article 155, Section 16 of the National Assembly Act, which pertains to disciplinary actions against members.
However, there has yet to be a case where a petition has led to the expulsion of a lawmaker. In February, four petitions calling for the expulsion of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik received over 50,000 signatures but did not result in any disciplinary action. Previous petitions against lawmakers such as Jeong Cheong-rae from the Democratic Party and Kwon Seong-dong and Kim Min-jeon from the People Power Party also did not lead to expulsions.
In response to the backlash, Lee stated that he would not have made those comments had he known they would cause such offense. Speaking at a press conference following the conclusion of the Reform Party's election campaign, he expressed regret for not anticipating the negative reaction to his remarks and promised to choose his words more carefully in the future, acknowledging the controversy surrounding his comments on misogyny.
