(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Jeong-hyeon and Kwon Hee-won = Ahead of the National Assembly audit next week, the People Power Party held the 'National Action Rally for Judgment of the Lee Jae-myung Administration, Restoration of People's Livelihood and Security Protection' in front of Sungnyemun Gate in Seoul on the 3rd, National Foundation Day, and raised the level of the lending offensive.
About 70 active lawmakers, including party leaders such as Representative Jang Dong-hyuk and floor leader Jeong Jeong-sik, attended the rally, and non-party lawmakers also appeared. The party claimed, “A total of about 200,000 people gathered.”
Participants shouted slogans such as ‘We condemn Lee Jae-myung for his security disaster and humiliating diplomacy’ and ‘If you open your eyes, threaten the courts and guarantee judicial independence.’ Some attendees were seen holding pickets distributed by the party with phrases such as 'Security disaster, pro-North Korea diplomacy, Lee Jae-myeong OUT' and 'Is this country arbitrarily conducting farmland surveys, North Korea?' while holding the Taegeukgi or the American flag.
At the rally, the People Power Party focused on the issues of the abolition of the Prosecutor's Office, the North Korean landmine explosion, and President Lee's trial.
In a speech that lasted about 30 minutes, Representative Jang said, “The president’s approval rating has leveled off to a 3-pointer (around 30%). Then, it will flatten to a 2-pointer or 1-pointer.” At the same time, he said, "Just the other day, he boldly posted words that only extreme leftists use on social media, such as 'leftist'. Let's shout out to the leftist president in an elegant way," and shouted slogans such as 'Change real estate policy,' 'Stop the complete investigation of farmland immediately,' 'Accept the ETF special prosecutor,' and 'Resume Lee Jae-myung's trial.'
Floor leader Jeong also criticized, "Despite North Korea's land mine provocation, he did not criticize North Korea even a single word. What weakness did he find with Kim Jong-un?" He also said, "The criminal cabinet has created a paradise for criminals. There is only one reason why this president is in politics. That is to eliminate his own trial," and emphasized, "The president's very existence is a destruction of the Constitution. Conservatives will build and protect the Republic of Korea."
While all of the top members were on the podium, strong party members booed when Woo Jae-jun, a youth member of the pro-friendly (pro-Han Dong-hoon) group who often expressed different opinions from those in the party, spoke.
Rep. Lim Jong-deuk, the opposition party secretary on the National Defense Committee, complained, "President Lee Jae-myung, the commander-in-chief, called it an 'unfortunate accident' in his congratulatory speech on Armed Forces Day even though it was clearly a North Korean provocation. Why are you subservient to North Korea?"
Rep. Kim Min-jeon, a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, said, "Leftists say they closed the prosecution office to seek revenge on Roh Moo-hyun. Why did they increase the number of Supreme Court justices to 26?" and shouted the slogan, "Jaemyung Lee be tried."
At the rally, Yoo Dong-gyu, former head of the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation's planning headquarters, the 'key man in the Daejang-dong incident', also appeared as a speaker and drew attention by shouting, "Jae-myung Lee is a liar officially recognized by the court. He must be tried."
It has been about a year since the People Power Party held an off-site rally in front of Seoul City Hall on September 28 last year.
This rally is based on CEO Jang’s plan.
The leadership in the National Assembly was initially negative about going outside during the regular National Assembly session, which is the stage for the opposition party.
However, this time the rally was held as scheduled due to the consensus that public opinion was needed ahead of the start of the National Assembly audit next week.
The People Power Party's policy is to focus on the struggle within the National Assembly for the time being.
Chief Spokesperson Park Seong-hoon told reporters at the National Assembly, "There are no plans for an off-site rally scheduled after today," and added, "I am confident that today's rally will serve as a catalyst to properly convey the public's anger over the disaster in livelihood and security through the National Assembly inspection."
