Jeong Chun-saeng, a lawmaker from the Rebuilding Korea Party, has resigned from the National Assembly's Special Committee on Political Reform.
At a press conference held at a protest tent for political reform in front of the main National Assembly building on Wednesday, Jeong announced his resignation, stating, "I will no longer be an accessory to the vested-interest collusion between the two major parties."
"Three months have passed since the special committee launched, and 12 meetings have been held. But that time cannot be called a time for reform," Jeong said. "The People Power Party wasted time playing 'bus parking' to block change, while the Democratic Party left the people's mandate locked away in a 'cabinet,' gathering dust."
He directed particular criticism at the Democratic Party, asking, "After rowing together with comrades in the cold plaza on the night of the insurrection, is a 'backroom deal between the two parties' all you've arrived at?" He added, "Settling for small vested interests before the ink on the five-party agreement has even dried is not what the main force of democracy should be showing."
"The time for being a sideshow is over," Jeong declared. "I refuse to be a tool that grants democratic legitimacy to the 'vested-interest protection game' played by the two major parties. I firmly reject the role of standing as a prop for collusion with the insurrection party."
Jeong added, "I am resigning from the special committee, but I will not lower the flag of reform. If necessary, I am prepared to make extraordinary decisions."
Four progressive parties—the Rebuilding Korea Party, Progressive Party, Basic Income Party, and Social Democratic Party—have been staging a tent protest in front of the main National Assembly building, demanding political reforms including the expansion of multi-member districts for basic-level councils and the introduction of multi-member districts for metropolitan councils.
On January 2, a joint declaration was announced with Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do in attendance, calling for related bills to be processed by January 10, but the effort collapsed.
Seo Wang-jin, the Rebuilding Korea Party's floor leader, said at a general meeting of party lawmakers Wednesday morning, "Due to obstruction by the People Power Party and indifference from the Democratic Party, the expectations and aspirations of citizens in the plaza have come to nothing. We are giving up on expectations for political reform led by the Democratic Party."
