A wave of lawmakers is leaving a pro-Lee Jae-myung advocacy group after the Democratic Party of Korea established an official committee with the same mandate, raising questions about the group's continued existence.
The "Lawmakers' Association for Dismissal of Charges Against President Lee Jae-myung and Parliamentary Investigation" was formed by lawmakers aligned with Lee, led by Rep. Lee Geon-tae and Rep. Park Sung-jun. The group now faces mounting withdrawal requests after the party launched its official "Committee for Parliamentary Investigation into the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration's Fabricated Indictments and Charge Dismissal."
Rep. Kim Ki-pyo announced his departure on Facebook on Sunday, stating, "I thought the misunderstandings about our group would be resolved once it was absorbed into the official party body. But I was very disappointed to see the group announce it would continue operating separately."
Kim questioned the rationale for maintaining the group. "Pursuing this through an official party body would be far more effective in achieving our goals. I cannot understand why they insist on keeping the group separate," he said. "Doesn't this essentially turn it into a factional organization?"
Rep. Boo Seung-chan also announced his withdrawal, saying, "I'm relieved the party is finally launching a related body to pursue a parliamentary investigation and special counsel."
Rep. Min Hyung-bae echoed the sentiment. "If the party creates an official body to pursue what members gathered to achieve, is there any need for a separate group? I don't think so," he said. "The group should naturally dissolve now that the party has established its committee."
Calls for the group's dissolution are growing. Rep. Choi Min-hee, who never joined the group, posted that "the charge dismissal group should be disbanded." Choi previously noted that "most people signing up were those planning to run in their own elections."