South Korean parliament passes no-confidence motion against foreign minister

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) – South Korean parliament on Thursday passed a no-confidence motion calling for the dismissal of Foreign Minister Park Jin, local media reported.

The parliament, controlled by the opposition Democratic Party, approved the motion in a 168-1 vote that was boycotted by the ruling People Power Party, along with minor progressive Justice Party, said the state-run Yonhap News Agency.

Democratic Party holds Jin responsible for what it claims was a disastrous overseas trip by President Yoon Suk-yeol, according to the news agency.

"On behalf of the people, it is the National Assembly's duty and the main opposition's obligation to hold the key minister accountable for hurting national pride and interest and deceiving the people," Democratic Party’s floor leader Park Hong-Keun, said, vowing to also hold key presidential officials accountable for the incident.

However, the media outlet underscored that in this case, a dismissal motion for a cabinet member was approved four times since 1987 when the motion became non-binding.