The Constitutional Court has partially suspended the effect of the National Assembly Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee's exclusion of People Power Party Rep. Lee Jin-sook from its parliamentary audit.

As a result, Rep. Lee can attend the parliamentary audit of the Broadcasting and Media Communications Committee scheduled for tomorrow (October 22), but she cannot speak on matters directly related to herself.

The Constitutional Court reached this decision on October 21 by partially granting an application for a provisional injunction filed by Rep. Lee Jin-sook.

The Constitutional Court ruled, "When suspending a lawmaker's audit participation through a resolution of a plenary session or a committee, an exclusion resolution can only be made on specific matters where the lawmaker has a direct interest or where significant reasons prevent fairness," adding, "The existence of grounds for exclusion does not mean that audit participation can be comprehensively restricted."

However, the Constitutional Court found that grounds for exclusion are recognized regarding matters decided or duties carried out during the period Rep. Lee served as chair of the Korea Communications Commission.

These include the appointment of board members to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture, which Rep. Lee resolved with only two standing commissioners, as well as matters in which complaints were filed against her on charges of perjury and occupational breach of trust related to corporate credit card use.

Earlier, on October 12 during the committee's parliamentary audit, the ruling camp demanded and passed an exclusion motion, arguing there was a potential conflict of interest because decisions made and duties performed by Rep. Lee while serving as KCC chair were subject to the audit.

Protesting the move, the People Power Party filed an injunction request and a petition for adjudication on competence dispute with the Constitutional Court on October 15.