A motion to arrest Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, for whom an arrest warrant was requested due to allegations of preferential treatment for Baekhyeon-dong development and Ssangbangwool Group’s remittance to North Korea, was passed at the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 21st. This is the first time in constitutional history that a motion to arrest an opposition party leader has been passed. Accordingly, Representative Lee was subject to a substantive review of the warrant by the court.
The motion to arrest Representative Lee, which was voted on at the plenary session of the National Assembly on this day, was passed with 149 votes in favor, 136 votes against, 4 votes invalid, and 6 abstentions, with 295 out of 298 registered members participating in the vote.
A motion for arrest is passed if a majority of the registered members are present and a majority of the members present agree. For the motion to arrest Representative Lee to be passed, 148 of the 295 people present at the vote needed to agree. In addition to 120 people, including 110 people from the People’s Power Party (excluding Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin) who have already taken a ‘passing’ position, including 6 from the Justice Party, Era Transition lawmaker Jo Jeong-hoon, Hope for Korea lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja, and independent lawmakers Ha Young-je and Hwang Bo-seung-hee, 28 from the Democratic Party. The above had to be ‘yes’ for it to be passed, but on this day, 149 votes were in favor, so it appears that at least 29 members of the Democratic Party voted for it.
Previously, on the 20th, the day before the vote on the motion for arrest, Representative Lee posted a long post on Facebook titled ‘Please stop the runaway locomotive of the dictatorship of the prosecution’, in effect publicly requesting a ‘no’ vote.
Representative Lee said, “The passing of this clearly illegal and unjust arrest motion will give wings to the investigation of the political prosecution’s manipulation,” and added, “We will not be able to properly counter the unfair abuse of state power by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and the political manipulation of the political prosecution, and will succumb to their tricks.” “It shouldn’t be done,” he said. He also said, “This current fight is not just a fight between Lee Jae-myung and the prosecution. Please stop the runaway locomotive of the prosecution’s dictatorship in front of the National Assembly and protect the constitutional order and democracy that are in crisis.”
The party leader personally stepped forward and requested a ‘no’ vote, but with the Democratic Party’s defection votes pouring in on this day스포츠토토, it is expected that a blow to the leader’s leadership will inevitably be dealt in the future. In particular, internal discord within the Democratic Party, such as the search for subak (a derogatory expression for non-Jae-myung members of the Lee Jae-myeong community) centered on Lee’s strong supporters, may become more severe. It appears that the list of lawmakers who passed this vote is already being circulated among hard-core supporters, calling it a ‘watermelon list’.
On this day, in front of the National Assembly building, supporters of Representative Lee, who insisted that the motion for his arrest be voted down, and conservative groups, who insisted that the motion for his arrest be voted down, gathered together and fought three battles. Representative Lee’s supporters wore blue headbands, scarves, and hats and held picket signs saying, “The Democratic Party can survive only when Lee Jae-myung survives.” When the motion to arrest Representative Lee was passed, supporters were also seen shedding tears.
The Democratic Party leadership, which had appealed for a “no vote” right before the vote, is holding an emergency Supreme Council meeting during the plenary session and discussing response plans. Democratic Party floor spokesperson Lee So-young met with reporters after the plenary vote on this day and said, “It is very surprising and shocking because it is an unexpected result.” Spokesperson Lee said, “The leadership appealed to the lawmakers to reject the bill several times, but it is unfortunate that the results were different,” and added, “We will urgently meet to discuss the future situation and measures.”
