President Lee Jae Myung delivered his first budget speech at the National Assembly on Nov. 4, but lawmakers from the People Power Party (PPP) refused to attend. Instead of entering the main chamber, PPP lawmakers stood in the Rotunda Hall wearing black mourning clothes and masks. They protested the special counsel's request for an arrest warrant for Rep. Choo Kyung-ho, calling it political retaliation and an attack on the opposition.
It was only the second time in constitutional history that the largest opposition party boycotted a presidential budget address. The first was in October 2022, when the Democratic Party (DP) refused to attend then-President Yoon Suk Yeol's speech over investigations into Lee, then party leader.
That both parties have taken turns pulling the same stunt within three years underscores a troubling cycle in politics. The government has proposed a record 728 trillion won budget. Now is the time for lawmakers to scrutinize spending, not abandon their duties. Whatever the justification, walking out on the presentation of the nation's fiscal blueprint raises questions about parliamentary responsibility.
More alarming were the comments from PPP leadership. Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok declared, "This is war. This must be his last budget speech," adding that once the election law trial ends, "Lee will no longer be president but simply Lee Jae Myung." During a protest with placards, some PPP lawmakers shouted "Here comes the criminal" and "Get out," refusing to listen as the president urged bipartisan cooperation to prepare for the AI era.
The PPP's sense of crisis is not unfounded. DP leader Rep. Jung Cheong-rae has repeatedly raised the possibility of dissolving the PPP as an unconstitutional party, and some conservatives suspect the investigation into Choo is the first step. But branding a lawful investigation as political persecution goes too far. Choo himself has said he will give up parliamentary immunity and face legal judgment. Rather than escalating political conflict for hard-line supporters, PPP lawmakers should help uncover the truth of the Dec. 3 martial law allegations and distance themselves from any association with past authoritarianism. They should recall what they once said to the Democratic Party: "The investigation of your leader is a matter for the individual, not the party."
For both ruling and opposition blocs, the priority must now be budget deliberations over the next month. The proposed budget is 8.1 percent higher than this year's, forming the largest deficit despite not being a national emergency. Debt will exceed 1,300 trillion won, with 110 trillion won in deficit bonds and 34 trillion won spent on interest payments. Markets are already uneasy over fiscal pressures from tariff negotiations with the United States, regional currency programs and cash-heavy spending. Whether this budget becomes a catalyst for economic renewal or debt-driven stagnation depends on lawmakers. Politics should not take center stage.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

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