Jeong Cheong-rae, chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, marked the first anniversary of former President Yoon Suk-yeol's removal from office over the emergency martial law crisis on Wednesday, declaring, "We will never stop our steps toward clearing the insurrection until the people tell us 'that is enough.'"
Jeong made the remarks at a "Public Report on the First Anniversary of the Yoon Suk-yeol Impeachment Ruling" held at the National Assembly. "The path to clearing the insurrection may be an extremely arduous process," he said. "We do not know whether it will take three years, five years, 10 years, or even longer."
"It has been one year since Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment, but the clearing of the insurrection is still ongoing," Jeong said. He criticized that "Yoon Suk-yeol, the ringleader of the insurrection, received only a life sentence — the statutory minimum — while 'Yoon Again' forces continue to spew reckless remarks and agitate at every turn."
He pointed at the People Power Party, saying it is "openly calling for 'Yoon Again' and proceeding with 'Yoon Again nominations.'" He added, "As long as stern punishment for the insurrection remains an unfinished task, and as long as forces that defend the insurrection persist everywhere, the war against the insurrection cannot stop."
Jeong reiterated a zero-tolerance principle toward those involved in the December 3 emergency martial law. "We will uncover the full story of the martial law and the insurrection to the end and root out every last trace," he said. He added, "We will decisively punish the principal offenders, accomplices, and sympathizers and put in place institutional safeguards to ensure that acts of treason against the state never recur."
As minimum conditions for clearing the insurrection, Jeong called for legal punishment of those responsible and a full investigation into the martial law planning process, including the so-called "Noh Sang-won notebook." He argued, "If punishment and fact-finding are carried out properly, the People Power Party will find it difficult to escape being subject to an unconstitutional party dissolution ruling."
"I believe a complete clearing of the insurrection means reaching the point where, after political judgment has also been rendered, the people say, 'This is enough,'" he said.
Jeong also stressed, "We must win the local elections to support the success of the Lee Jae-myung government and move forward on the path of clearing the insurrection, completing reforms, restoring livelihoods, and achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula."
Addressing the People Power Party directly, he said, "If you are truly reflecting on and taking responsibility for the December 3 martial law, the national damage of the insurrection, and the destruction of democracy, then the People Power Party should not field candidates in this local election. With what face and what conscience would you put forward candidates?"
Lawmakers who served alongside Jeong on the impeachment prosecution team against former President Yoon attended the event and shared their reflections. They included Representatives Park Beom-gye, Choi Ki-sang, Kim Ki-pyo, Park Seon-won, Lee Seong-yun, and Lee Yong-woo, as well as a legal counsel team including former Constitutional Court Justice Kim Yi-su.
Supreme Council member Lee Seong-yun said, "The death penalty — the statutory maximum — should be sought for Yoon Suk-yeol, and stern punishment is needed for those involved in fabricated investigations." He added, "We must more thoroughly reform the prosecution and courts that served under Chun Doo-hwan and Yoon Suk-yeol."
Meanwhile, ahead of the June 3 local elections, Jeong continued his campaign support activities, visiting Onyang Oncheon Market in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, earlier in the day.