Rep. Lee Jun-seok speaks at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, June 3. (Yonhap)
Rep. Lee Jun-seok speaks at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, June 3. (Yonhap)

Over 370,000 South Koreans had signed an online petition calling for Rep. Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party to be expelled from the National Assembly as of Sunday afternoon.

The petition came after Lee cited a controversial misogynistic remark during a televised presidential debate on May 27, ahead of the June 3 presidential election.

The number of people who had signed the petition stood at 375,346 as of around 5 p.m. Sunday, gaining supporters at a rapid pace just four days after it was posted on the National Assembly’s petition page on June 4.

The petition calls on the Assembly to review Lee's qualifications as a lawmaker and take disciplinary action against him, arguing that he “betrayed the people’s trust and damaged the dignity of a member of the National Assembly.”

The petition is expected to be reviewed by the Assembly, as it garnered more than 50,000 signatures. If more than 50,000 people support a petition within 30 days of it being made public, it is considered valid and is deliberated by the relevant standing committee of the National Assembly.

However, under the Constitution, expelling a member from the National Assembly requires the consent of at least two-thirds of all sitting members.

The unnamed petitioner claimed that Lee, who was the New Reform Party's presidential candidate in the June 3 election, committed verbal sexual violence when he cited inappropriate language that depicted violence against women.

“Legislators are the representatives of all citizens. This means that a National Assembly member must engage in legislative activities aimed at eliminating discrimination, hatred against minorities and upholding the dignified lives of the people," the petitioner said, requesting that the National Assembly expel Lee from office for violating Article 155 of the National Assembly Act.

The article stipulates that the assembly may take disciplinary action against lawmakers who violate general ethics principles for National Assembly members or rules governing their ethical practice.

"But his inappropriate, violent language and his irresponsible attitude in justifying his actions severely undermined people’s trust and damaged the dignity expected of a National Assembly member,” the petitioner added.


sj_lee@heraldcorp.com