People Power Party Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, dealing with personal hardships including hospitalization for deteriorating health and the death of a grandchild, has been speaking out forcefully over the National Election Commission crisis triggered by a ballot shortage. Expressing gratitude to young people who gave up their weekends to call for a new election, Jang said he is determined to push through a "people's special prosecutor" and hold a by-election if voting rights violations are confirmed.
In a Facebook post Wednesday, Jang said the Democratic Party had agreed to accept a special prosecutor "thanks to many young people who stepped up and fought when many politicians were just watching to see which way the wind blows."
He criticized the Democratic Party, however, for "playing tricks by insisting on a 'third-party recommended special prosecutor' rather than one recommended by the People Power Party," calling it a "bed special prosecutor" — a probe designed to drag on with one excuse after another.
Jang also said that when the NEC's nepotistic hiring scandal broke, "Lee Jae Myung and the Democratic Party opposed it, calling it an attempt to destabilize Noh Tae-ak, and when the Board of Audit and Inspection tried to audit the NEC during the Yoon administration, they blocked the audit by claiming the NEC is a constitutional body." He added that "true democracy cannot be built without breaking the 'election cartel' that ties Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party and the NEC together as one."
Jang said early voting, which "the public does not trust and even the NEC's own union is calling for its abolition," should be scrapped.
husn7@heraldcorp.com
