■ Host: Kim Sun-young Anchor
■ Starring: Yoon Hee-seok, Senior Spokesperson for People's Power, Seo Yong-joo, Former Deputy Spokesperson for Democratic Party of Korea
* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information. Please specify [YTN NewsNOW] when quoting.
[Anchor]
Political commentary with a living angle, let's start at the minute. Yoon Hee-seok, spokesman for the People's Power, and Seo Yong-joo, former vice spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, are here. Welcome. What we're going to talk about today, let's watch the video first. Will Democrats press the impeachment button again? All eyes are on acting Han Deok-soo right now. Anyway, we've set a deadline for impeachment. Is it the 24th?
[Applicant owner]
That's right. First of all, the Democratic Party said on the 24th that it would hold political responsibility rather than the deadline for impeachment, but I think it will go to impeachment if it actually goes into practice. However, acting Han Deok-soo said, "First of all, I am not an acting Yoon Suk Yeol. So, I'm not acting as an agent for the president of Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been pointed out as a prisoner of war, but as an agent for the president. Then, can't we not consider the stability of the state affairs of the Republic of Korea, national and foreign credentials in the world? However, whether these things that are dragging their feet are appropriate as the acting president of the Republic of Korea, of course, the opposition party has no choice but to put political pressure on them. There's nothing to pass until January 1st.
There are various suspicions about why they are being wary of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is suspected of dragging him out when there is a mandatory regulation that a permanent special prosecutor should be conducted, and then the special prosecutor and special prosecutor Kim Gun-hee should be doing it anyway. If you really think about the stability of the state of the Republic of Korea by shaking it off, I would like to say that you should have done it before the opposition party urged you.
[Anchor]
If it's the 24th, it's tomorrow. Is there a particular reason why it's the 24th?
[Applicant owner]
I think they've probably considered investigating the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit. I asked the president to attend on the 25th. If you attend on the 25th, you will be asked for an arrest warrant at the same time as you attend, and if you postpone the special prosecution until January 1st, I think the acting president has such a strategy to make the special prosecution useless.
[Anchor]
There is only one day left until the deadline, so what do you think the atmosphere in the prime minister's office is like?
[Yoon Heesuk]
The Prime Minister's Office will be troubled again and again. There's still a lot of time left. Isn't the Democratic Party threatening Han Deok-soo by arbitrarily setting a date according to the political calculation method? And underlying the threat will be impeachment and even acting Han Deok-soo. It just came out. Control of civil war takes precedence over stabilization of state affairs. I'm continuing to make these unlogical, over-the-top remarks. And as Acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has plenty of time left to continue making decisions at some point in the prime minister's office, such political pledges by the DP are just one of political strife, and even more so from the people, the DP is a party that does not think about state affairs at all. The focus is only on pressuring and thinking of this situation as an opportunity to take power. I think we have no choice but to receive this evaluation.
[Anchor]
Usually, when you set a deadline, it means that if you cross this deadline, we'll start action. Then, do you think we can begin impeachment proceedings against acting Han Deok-soo within 30 days of the end of the year?
[Applicant owner]
Today, the National Assembly Speaker scheduled the plenary session twice until the end of December on the 26th and the 31st. Then, it's not impossible because there are actually two plenary sessions. However, there will be disagreements on whether the number of seats is 200 or 150 seats, but this can also be decided to some extent if the chairman decides. However, it should not be forgotten that acting Han Deok-soo is acting as an acting president responsible for stabilizing the state of Korea, a new state of emergency, not as the prime minister of the Yoon Suk Yeol government, who is now suspended from his post and previous government. That's why January 1st is the limit. Why do you need to postpone it until then? It's a matter of making a decision in advance.
So, as an administrator, I may have various burdens, but if I think about the people first, wouldn't it be right for these impeachment parts to be sorted out quickly? That's what many people want. So if I get misunderstood and impeach the acting president again, wouldn't the political situation be noisy again? Then, how pathetic would foreigners, foreign leaders, and each country look at the domestic fights in Korea from outside? Considering that, wouldn't it be better to make a decision on your own as soon as possible before the political turmoil comes? I'd like to ask you again.
[Anchor]
If we go into the impeachment process against acting Han Deok-soo, how many votes do we have to get impeached? The ruling and opposition parties are now arguing over this. Floor leader Kwon Sung-dong insisted that the vote should exceed 200 votes today. Let's listen to it.
How many votes does the acting president have to get to meet the requirements for impeachment? Look. It's a controversy because it's not specified in the current regulations. First of all, the requirement for impeachment of the president is more than 200 because it is two-thirds of the members in the National Assembly, and if you look at it as prime minister, you need 151 because it is more than a majority of the members in the parliament. So it's about whether Han Deok-soo is seen as a president or a member of the State Council, right?
[Yoon Heesuk]
That's right. There's a lot of controversy about this. Our party's position and the Democratic Party's position are starkly different. But there's one thing to refer to. At the National Assembly Steering Committee, the chief expert expressed his opinion on the law on the prevention of abuse of impeachment and its legislation, which we proposed last October, and our Constitution stipulates the requirements strengthened only for the president in the impeachment requirements. If so, he expressed his opinion that it is right to meet the reinforced requirements for impeachment of a person who is a prime minister but plays the role of a president. That's right. Prime Minister Han Deok-soo serves as president in addition to his role as prime minister, so even if he is impeached by mistake in his role as president, then it is logically correct to impeach him with the strengthened impeachment requirements: the consent of more than 200 people. I think this is a difficult situation for the Democratic Party to refute.
[Anchor]
I think the Democratic Party of Korea will think differently, but 200 or 151 is what matters, right? If it's 200, it's hard without the consent of the people, right?
[Applicant owner]
That's right. But now, 200 or 151 people, this is a very national consumption, so I keep telling you that as an acting president, you should make a decision that does not cause national or political turmoil. Second, when there was talk of acting Hwang Kyo-ahn in 2017, it was said that 200 seats were analyzed for the analysis of the Ministry of Government Administration, but it is not confirmed. It's not a decision, it's an opinion. Recently, the investigator of the steering committee also said that it needs 200 seats, but if you go in a little more, it's a matter of position and position. So, even though he's the prime minister, he's acting as an acting president. Then what's this position? His position is the Prime Minister. So the president is a member of the State Council, and the biggest thing that divides this is elected power or not. So if you give a very delicate and strengthened impeachment requirement for elected power, the State Council member is just an appointed position. Acting President Han Deok-soo is not an elected person. In that sense, there may be a criticism that it would be more appropriate to consider it as a member of the State Council when it comes to interpretation. So, I'll say it again, I don't have to go that far. 200 seats or 151 seats. What's going on if you're fighting it?
[Anchor]
The deadline is tomorrow, so I think we need to prepare.
[Applicant owner]
Of course, we have to prepare, but in fact, even if acting Han Deok-soo is alive with 200 or 150 seats, will he continue to recognize acting Han Deok-soo? I couldn't hold on. We are in the midst of impeachment and we are holding out for this as various situations of civil war continue to come in? Then the public will not let this go.
[Anchor]
Anyway, if we go to the real vote, the Democratic Party thinks we only need 151 so if we pass this, what should we do then?
[Yoon Heesuk]
We'll do it whether it's interpreted or not. It is a national misfortune. We're going to say it's a rejection. Wasn't there something like that in the past? There was something like this, right? You shouldn't go that far. And while talking about Rep. Kim Yong-min, there was a screen, but then if Prime Minister Han Deok-soo is impeached, he will be the next deputy prime minister for economy. Acting President, Acting Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Minister of Strategy and Finance. This situation... If it goes that far, the people will be too disappointed. Various situations are bad ahead of the end of the year, and the ruling and opposition parties may have stark differences in their opinions, but at least they should agree on a basic system in which the state can operate, so that the public will naturally judge the tyranny of this huge opposition party and the offensive.
[Anchor]
Among the various implications pushed by the independent counsel for the insurrection, the independent counsel Kim Gun-hee, and the Democratic Party, the analysis suggests that if an early presidential election is held, the independent counsel's briefings will be held frequently, which will inevitably lead the Democratic Party to a landslide victory in the public opinion race. And the citation of impeachment will also be accelerated, isn't there an analysis that there is an ulterior motive? How do you see that?
[Applicant owner]
Democrats don't have to overdo it. Special prosecutor Kim Gun-hee and special prosecutor for civil war are already divided in order to protect the president, who is now a suspect in the civil war. The pastor of the church related to the Taegeukgi Unit in Gwanghwamun now talks about President Yoon Suk Yeol as Jesus Christ. be on the same level And martial law was the decision of the rescue. There are situations in which we are talking in this way. Is this really appropriate for the country of Korea to have an international status? In order to solve this inconvenience, the Democratic Party of Korea should finish this quickly. Even with just one issue of civil war, there is no reason for the Democratic Party to lose in the public opinion battle about the power of the people until the next general election, whether it is an early presidential election or a local election. But do you have to focus on it with something this big? It's not like that. I think we're trying to fight back with the least amount of safety. And the danger of those who claim the legitimacy of martial law from the Taegeukgi unit may be a measure to prevent the spread, but it is a frame change to gain an advantage in the early presidential election? Or there is no such calculation to put it on. I think it's right to look at it like this.
[Anchor]
In fact, in the case of Special Prosecutor Kim Gun-hee, the suspicion of pollack bacteria is included, so if that happens, if an early presidential election is held, the people's power could be the subject of investigation at that stage, right?
[Yoon Heesuk]
That's right. Myung Tae-kyun, since the suspicions have been going on for three or four months, a lot of leading politicians in our party are involved. Therefore, if the investigation into Myung Tae-kyun continues through the independent counsel, the leading presidential candidates of our party will be mentioned during the briefing process, and the charges can be questioned and summoned. You can assume all these situations. But of course, we need to see if it's real or not.As the presidential election said, Ma has no choice but to use the term "early presidential election." If there is a decision to impeach the president, the election within 60 days, and the political damage to our party's presidential candidates in the process of being summoned and reported in the meantime cannot be returned later. Therefore, from our point of view, only the name is the Kim Gun-hee Special Prosecutor's Act, but in fact, we cannot agree with this law, which has 15 investigation ranges. The political offensive has entered, and the opposition party is just doing it when it comes to the recommendation of the special prosecutor. How can we accept such an independent counsel law? Since there is an unconstitutional element at this point, acting Han Deok-soo is contemplating, we should look at it like this.
[Anchor]
In the midst of impeachment, political circles are focusing on the possibility of an early presidential election. The controversy over the untimely bias of the NEC's banner has emerged. People's Power Rep. Jeong Yeon-wook is said to have made such a policy that Lee Jae-myung cannot hang this banner in his constituency, but the NEC said it was impossible. What do you think of the NEC's decision?
[Applicant owner]
Compared to Jeong Yeon-wook and Lee Jae-myung, who will run directly in the next election? He's CEO Lee Jae-myung. So, from the NEC's point of view, whether that's a good word or a bad word, eventually the name will be published can affect the recognition in the election. Being a politician raises awareness with a good image, but even as a bad image, if its name is known, it can affect the election. That's why I made the judgment in that regard. Which NEC subjectively raises only a specific person's hand? I don't think so.
[Anchor]
First of all, Representative Seo Young-kyo also defended the NEC's decision like this because it could have a direct impact on the election. Let's listen to Seo Young-kyo's voice for a while.
[Anchor]
If the early presidential election is held right away, it is a rebuttal that says, "Isn't it our candidate?" How did you like it?
[Yoon Heesuk]
If that's the case, it's wrong. Rep. Seo Young-kyo misunderstands the basic premise, and so does the NEC. Is the early presidential election confirmed? It's not like that right now. Since there is an early presidential election in the NEC's argument and Seo Young-kyo's argument, Lee Jae-myung, who has no choice but to run in the upcoming election in just a few months, should not be the representative, Lee Jae-myung, because this is very bad for Lee Jae-myung, isn't it an argument that harms the fairness of the election? What's important is that we don't have any confirmation that we can have an early presidential election. If you just go, it's the presidential election in March, 27. We still have two more years left. If you leave it alone. However, since there will be an election soon with this, the NEC's decision itself, which put the conditions on it and said, "This is very unfavorable to representative Lee Jae-myung, so this is not very logical." That's why you're having a meeting again today, right? The important thing is that the NEC has been making judgments against us over the years, with the question of whether to permit or disallow banners in this way, but the judgment itself is not accepted by the public, so it is constantly being distrusted. Even if Lee Jae-myung doesn't work, it's a political view. Then, please prepare the criteria accurately. So we don't want a situation where the NEC is distrusted by the people.
[Anchor]
This is completely different from the allegations of fraudulent elections claimed by the NEC's so-called far-right YouTuber, which has been controversial several times over the NEC's judgment of election banners, and it would be nice to show the graphic again. Let's make it 1 now in the 2021 by-election as well. Let's do 1 and don't allow the word "South Korean hypocrisy". This is why there was another battle between the ruling and opposition parties. The criteria are not clear, what do you think about that?
[Applicant owner]
It's been a long time since the NEC's standards are not clear. That's why we need to improve it. But the NEC is a constitutional institution. Since it is a constitutional institution, it was the reality of all politicians in the ruling and opposition parties that the election was held because they understood the NEC's decision even if it was a little hard to understand. So sometimes it doesn't suit your taste, so the Democratic Party of Korea criticized the election committee and the power of the people. I think we have no choice but to follow the decision of the NEC, a constitutional institution. If the National Election Commission, a constitutional institution, says it doesn't like me, it should be an affiliated institution. Why would it be a constitutional institution? So if you leave it there, you have no choice but to follow it, and in the future, it can be the other way around. The name Lee Jae-myung is now disallowed, but if it is allowed then, the Democratic Party of Korea may say, "Does that make sense?"
[Anchor]
But shouldn't the standard change?
[Applicant owner]
That is a systemic flaw in the NEC. It's always been like that. The Central Election Commission is always different from the decision of the Local Election Commission. Everyone's opinion is different. The prosecution and the court are not even adopting the NEC's decision as evidence. So I think these are the institutional improvements of the NEC. The NEC will review this controversy once more, so it's better to watch, but the NEC's judgment is that as one of the people who has been auditing the NEC for a long time, this is the worst case number. in order to avoid their responsibilities So, they are asking if the early presidential election is not confirmed, but this decision is made on the assumption that the early presidential election is confirmed. I think it's right to think that the NEC has always made that decision because if they allow this when it's confirmed, they have to be responsible for it.
[Yoon Heesuk]
Deputy spokesperson Seo Yong-joo is also not convinced of the NEC's decision, so even though you're talking for a long time, I don't know the key point. The conclusion is that Seon-woo did something wrong.
[Applicant owner]
It is not to say that the NEC was wrong, but it should respect the NEC's decision. But the NEC itself has always been criticized for some degree of interpretation in terms of consistency.
[Anchor]
Hove you anything further to say?
[Yoon Heesuk]
If you look closely at what the opposition has done so far to respect what is wrong, please consider our position. Those who want to impeach the prime minister and the acting president if they do not exercise their veto power by setting a date now should respect the decision of the constitutional institution because the election committee is a constitutional institution? I think it doesn't add up.
[Applicant owner]
Isn't that a separate matter? Even if we don't like the court, the outcome of the trial is the same as having to respect it again.
[Anchor]
Anyway Lee Jae-myung can't, I'll disallow this and discuss it again. The NEC has changed its position now, and we will see what the final decision will be made. In such a chaotic situation where the ruling party and the NEC are engaged in a war of nerves, the martial law investigation is proceeding at a rapid pace. Now, the Constitutional Court is gradually entering the preparation process, but it is said that President Yoon Suk Yeol is refusing to serve the Constitutional Court's documents. What kind of strategy do you think it is?
[Applicant owner]
It's probably a time-consuming strategy. Why are you trying to drag your feet? The first is the lawyers they want. I think I have a very bad idea of spreading public opinion rather than appointing them.
[Anchor]
What kind of public opinion game?
[Applicant owner]
As of now, last weekend, one side is against impeachment, and the other side is in favor of impeachment. The reason for opposing impeachment is not civil war. It was a legitimate decision to save the country and it was a decision of martial law. I think there's a plan to grow public opinion in a very bad state of chaos, where this part is a little bit more mature and trying to create a landscape that confronts public anger over this impeachment. But I don't know if the Constitutional Court will tolerate that, but I think the Constitutional Court's time will continue. I hope floor leader Kwon Sung-dong returns as floor leader Kwon Sung-dong in 2016. It was like that then. If you're not guilty, get an impeachment trial quickly. That's what I claimed to the president. And he said that in order to stabilize the state of affairs, the impeachment trial should be sentenced early. So I'll tell you why don't we come back to the good Kwon Seong-dong at that time?
[Anchor]
Aren't you a good Kwon Seong-dong now?
[Applicant owner]
I don't think it's a good Kwon Seong-dong because it doesn't fit the public's eye level.
[Anchor]
He said he seems to be using a delay tactic, but lawmaker Cheon Ha-ram analyzed that there seems to be another reason besides the delay tactic. Let's hear from Representative Cheon Ha-ram.
[Anchor]
In reality, Representative Cheon Ha-ram says that he can't find a lawyer to run in practice.
[Yoon Heesuk]
That point is probably correct. I don't know if the lawyer is a private office lawyer, as Senator Cheon Ha-ram explained.Ma will try to prepare for the most big law firms by putting a prestigious member of their lawyers in the defense team, so doesn't that mean the entire law firm should do it personally as long as they don't hang on to this case?
[Anchor]
I heard you have to get a law firm there.
[Yoon Heesuk]
It means you have to come out. How many lawyers will make such a decision? There is also a lawsuit that you are filing, but there is a realistic problem that you have to hand over all of them to someone else or stop them. There's a problem that I need some time. Some say that President Yoon is not served or refuses to accept documents, but I think about something else. Of course, you have to listen to what he's saying, what's his position? We need to think about whether it is right for the Constitutional Court to start in a six-member system. It's not about the impeachment trial process against the other person, it's about the president, and the impeachment trial, which is being conducted with the national opinion in half, is also divided into six judges. Why don't you start after this is well organized? I think I'm aware of the problem of starting the trial process at this level. I think we need to expand to that point and consider it.
[Anchor]
Anyway, the exact facts of the defense team have not been revealed, but do you think they will attend because there are only two days left before the subpoena date of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit?
[Yoon Heesuk]
I think the collaboration book gave consideration. The 25th is a holiday, so there is no burden of security, and on that day, President Yoon was notified of the summons, but the situation of responding to the summons should come quickly. Otherwise, an arrest warrant will be issued. The public will not want to see the moment when President Yoon is an incumbent president and an arrest warrant is issued for the incumbent president and it is executed. First of all, I have time, so I'll have to wait and see.
[Anchor]
The deadline proposed by the Democratic Party to Prime Minister Han Deok-soo is tomorrow, and the date of the Yoon Suk Yeol presidential summons is More, and there are likely to be various variables within this week, but the police's investigation clock is running fast anyway. Former commander Roh Sang-won today. It's said to be a key figure in this martial law. I heard that the police secured a handwritten notebook, so the contents of the notebook were revealed through a briefing a while ago. It is said that the expression of blocking the National Assembly was written in it. It is said that the names of politicians, journalists, religious people, union judges and public officials were written under their real names and expressed as being subject to collection.
[Applicant owner]
So, Roh Sang-won is a former intelligence commander who worked as a Bodhisattva in Ansan, and despite being a civilian in martial law, current generals were instructed by Kim Yong-hyun, former Minister of National Defense, right? And I received his instructions, and a notebook containing specific notes related to martial law was found in his house. Then, President Yoon Suk Yeol, the suspect of the head of the civil war, who has been suspended from his duties, is completely denying it. I respected the National Assembly and it was a warning, and I never did that. It was an act to promote the tyranny of the opposition. I respected the National Assembly. So, he said he did not try to suspend his authority through infiltration or use of force against the constitutional institution, but in reality, Roh Sang-won's martial law notebook includes politicians and judges.
The judge comes out of the testimony. Rumor of arrest of Judge Kim Dong-hyun, who acquitted Lee Jae-myung. I'm called a collection in that area. What do we usually do with the collection? It's called collection when you take garbage or tissues. It's almost like treating politicians and their people like garbage. That's what it feels like to say, "Arrest," but collect it separately. It's usually like this. I'm saying that we need to dispose of trash, and what surprised me is the NLL that induces North Korea's attacks. If we continue to work on this part in other people's testimony, if Roh Sang-won was at the center, wasn't he trying to make it absurd by launching an attack on the North and causing it to be attacked in reverse by the North? There are such things in detail. Currently, Roh Sang-won's notebook itself can be a very important evidence to refute the fact that it is not a civil war that denies all-out martial law prepared by President Yoon Suk Yeol's aides.
[Anchor]
Regarding the arrest team, it is considered one of the most important parts in the dispute over President Yoon Suk Yeol's civil war charges. President Yoon Suk Yeol claims that it was for the National Assembly's warning, and the key is what's written in that notebook and who ordered it.
[Yoon Heesuk]
That's right. Attorney Seok Dong-hyun is acting as a spokesman for President Yoon, but he didn't even bring up his arrest. I drew the line. Because we're about to have a legal dispute, we've completely drawn a line on what is very important legally. However, if you look at the various testimonies and evidence that appear, there is certainly a suspicion that there was an attempt to arrest the factors. This should be proven by investigation. Roh Sang-won may have put it in the process of planning something personally, or he may have ordered people close to him to do so with his own thoughts in advance. What matters is whether President Yoon really gave such an order. I don't think it's too late to talk while watching the investigation agency's judgment and the investigation process.
[Anchor]
We have to see if it will be a smoking gun when the notebook is opened. What I was curious about was that the Democratic Party of Korea asked me to run an investigation team within the intelligence agency before the contents of the notebook were released. I heard that this was written in today's notebook.
[Applicant owner]
That's what I'm saying. It's said to be the second stage of the investigation. So, it seems to be an argument that the Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun appointed civilians separately and tried to take control of the military, that is, to change various command systems after martial law. If you look at it now, the reason why Roh Sang-won's martial law notebook is important is that no matter how much anyone thinks this is his personal opinion, it's the first. The military's movement itself started from Jo Ji-ho, the chief of the National Police Agency, to radiation, operatives, counterintelligence agents, and testimonies from these people. And then, if you put the testimony of Yeha 707 in pieces, it's moving according to the contents of this notebook. This is not an imagination, but something has moved in accordance with this notebook. It's not easy for a unit to move.
Then you can guess that something illegally planned the arrest team. The investigative agency should make sure that this doesn't happen, but if the statement that he didn't even bring up the arrest, doesn't it mean that former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Roh Sang-won worked together and did something like that even though I didn't even ask them to do it? Wouldn't he be thinking of taking out such flippers? Then the law is not that sloppy, so it won't be successful, but I'm very worried that I'm going to the operation now.
[Anchor]
A key figure anyway. With former commander Roh Sang-won's handwritten notebook open, we need to see how much progress the police's investigation will make this week. So far, Yoon Hee-seok, spokesman for People's Power, and Seo Yong-joo, former vice spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, have been two full-time spokesperson. Thank you.
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