Park Deok-hyum, National Assembly Vice Speaker of the People Power Party (PPP), sharply criticized fellow PPP lawmaker Cho Kyoung-tae on Sunday, saying, "If you hate the temple, it is the natural order for the monk to leave."
In a post on his Facebook page that day, Park said, "As I listened to the sophistry Rep. Cho poured out today, as a lawmaker of the same party and as National Assembly Vice Speaker, I could not help but feel dismayed, so I am leaving this message."
Responding to Cho's criticism of party lawmakers as an "insurrection-advocating force," Park countered, "At the time of the impeachment vote on December 14, 2024, our party's official position was 'rejection.' By Rep. Cho's logic, if those who opposed impeachment at the time were an insurrection force, then the People Power Party is an insurrection party — so why does he remain in the People Power Party?"
He continued, "Why did he take part in the National Assembly Vice Speaker primary of the very insurrection party he so despises, and why did he appeal to the lawmakers of that insurrection party for their votes?" He pointed out, "Of the 25 votes Rep. Cho received in the internal party primary, at least 13 came from lawmakers who voted against impeachment — the very ones Rep. Cho denounces as an 'insurrection force.' How will he explain this contradiction of begging for and obtaining the votes of an insurrection force?"
Park also delivered a direct blow, saying, "If his convictions were so firm, he should have declared from the outset, 'I cannot take part in the primary of such a party,' and should have said, 'You must not vote for an insurrection force.'" He added, "I question whether he learned the petty politics of scheming behind the scenes only after losing the primary."
Regarding Cho's mention of having spoken by phone with lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Korea, Park said, "I strongly condemn Rep. Cho's 'anti-party conduct,' shown by communicating with the ruling party ahead of the plenary session to elect the Vice Speaker."
He continued, "Refusing to accept the primary result, dividing the party, and hovering around the ruling party's votes — that is precisely an anti-party behavior that denies democracy." He stressed, "Having enjoyed the benefit of receiving the party's nomination three times, engaging in nothing but internal attacks can no longer be tolerated."
As for Cho's claim that he had not apologized regarding the martial law, Park drew a line, calling it "an obvious falsehood." He rebutted, "On December 13, 2024, at the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee standing committee, I apologized to the people regarding the martial law. Furthermore, on March 9, after intense internal debate, our People Power Party adopted a general assembly resolution in the name of all lawmakers and officially apologized to the people regarding the emergency martial law."
He then said, "If you hate the temple, it is the natural order for the monk to leave," and urged, "Now stop the self-contradiction (自家撞着) of cursing the party you belong to as an insurrection force while begging over a hundred lawmakers for votes to try to become Vice Speaker under that party's banner, and the two-faced politics (面從腹背) of joining hands and claiming to accept the result in front while defying the party's decision and committing anti-party conduct behind the scenes." He added, "If you do not want to follow the party's values and decisions, leave the party," and said, "That is the last duty a six-term politician can demonstrate."
