The National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee passed a motion, led by the ruling bloc, to bar Rep. Lee Jin-sook of the People Power Party from the parliamentary audit of the Korea Media and Communications Commission.
The committee put the motion to a secret ballot on the 12th, and it passed 12-0 with the votes of ruling-bloc members. People Power Party members walked out and did not take part in the vote. With the motion approved, Lee cannot attend the audit of the commission and other agencies held that day.
The Democratic Party of Korea argued that it would pose a conflict of interest for Lee to question officials at the audit about matters tied to her own work while she served as chair of the Korea Communications Commission. Rep. Lee Ju-hee of the Democratic Party said in explaining the motion that the committee had adopted a resolution on Sept. 8 urging Lee Jin-sook to refrain from speaking and voting on items concerning herself, calling on her to recuse herself from matters or agenda items directly involving her. "Rep. Lee Jin-sook has still not requested recusal," she said.
"By halting the audit in cases where Rep. Lee Jin-sook has a direct interest or where there are compelling reasons that fairness cannot be ensured, and by having other audit members conduct it instead, we seek to restore the fairness of the parliamentary audit and the public's trust in it," she added.
Lee Jin-sook countered that having served as chair of the Korea Communications Commission should not serve as grounds for recusal or exclusion from the audit. "Since I was not involved in matters related to YTN, I have the right to ask questions and a duty to pose them on behalf of the public," she said.
"There will be a public reckoning for the Democratic Party members who took part today," she said. "I strongly oppose this decision and file an objection."