Approves arrest of independent lawmaker convicted of illegal campaigning


Ruling and opposition parties Wednesday voted down the request by the prosecution to arrest the ruling party’s Rep. Chung Doo-un implicated in a high-profile bribery case involving the older brother of President Lee Myung-bak.

The lawmakers, however, approved the arrest of independent Rep. Park Joo-sun sentenced with two-year jail term, with 148 of the 271 attending lawmakers voting in consent. Park was convicted last month for illegal campaigning during the April general elections.

Of the 271 lawmakers, 156 opposed the arrest of Chung, while 74 approved, and 31 abstained. Another 10 votes were counted as invalid.

Under the National Assembly Act, an arrest of an incumbent lawmaker during a working session must receive approval from a majority of lawmakers.

The prosecution last week sought to detain Chung on charges of colluding with defamed former Saenuri lawmaker and President Lee’s older brother Lee Sang-deuk in a bribery case in 2007. The expanding probe has raised speculation that the bribes may have been used in President Lee’s presidential campaign.

Chung had lambasted the prosecution’s move as being premature and politically-charged, and that it was an attempt to water down the implication of Lee Sang-deuk, who was arrested Tuesday night.

“It is an attempt to kill my political career,” Chung said before the vote took place.

Chung, who had been a close associate to President Lee during his presidential campaign, suffered through a fallout with the Lee brothers after he demanded the elder Lee to resign from politics soon after President Lee assumed office.

Chung is suspected of having been present at the scene where Lee received around 300 million won from a savings bank chief, and loading the bag of money into his car.

The parliament decision came a day after Lee Sang-deuk was arrested on charges of having received up to 600 million won in kickbacks from Solomon Savings Bank chief Lim Suk and Mirae Savings Bank Chairman Kim Chan-kyung between 2007 and last year. He became the first sibling of an incumbent president to be put behind bars.

Lee is also suspected of having received 150 million won from Kolon Group, which he once chaired before entering politics.

The court said Lee was being placed under arrest as there was a risk of evidence destruction considering his status and political influence.

To reporters questions on what he wished to tell his brother, Lee Sang-deuk simply said, “I am sorry.”

While Cheong Wa Dae remained mute about the overnight arrest, President Lee canceled his official schedule.

The Saenuri Party’s floor leader Lee Hahn-koo indicated it would be possible for President Lee to make a public apology.

“I would think President Lee is thinking he should express some sort of regret to the citizens,” Lee said during a radio interview Wednesday.

Upon the commencement of the 19th parliament in May, major parties have vowed to give up their privileges such as in retirement pension and the immunity from detention.

The discussion, however, slowed down due to concerns that a complete relinquishment of the immunity privilege may risk unfair probe of incumbent lawmakers.

The DUP’s floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won is also accused by the prosecution for taking kickbacks from the savings bank executives.

The lawmakers’ immunity from arrest is specified in the Constitution.

Since the establishment of the Constitution, a total of 45 motions for arrest on lawmakers were submitted but only nine were approved.

The last approval for an arrest of an incumbent lawmaker was made in September 2010 of then Democratic Party member Kang Seong-jong for embezzlement.


By Lee Joo-hee
(jhl@heraldcorp.com)


<관련 한글 기사>


정두언 체포안 부결, 박근혜까지 영향?

새누리당 정두언 의원의 체포동의안이 11일 오후 국회 본회의에서 부결되면서 그 후폭풍이 정치권을 강타하고 있다.

당장 새누리당 이한구 원내대표를 비롯한 원내지도부가 정치적 책임을 지고 전격적으로 총사퇴한 가운데 민주통합당과 통합진보당 등 야권은 "제 식구 감싸기"라 며 대대적인 대여(對與)공세에 나섰다. 

이번 사건이 5개월여 앞으로 다가온 대선정국에 어떤 식으로든 영향을 미칠 가능성이 높다.

일단 정 의원 체포동의안 부결의 후폭풍은 쇄신 드라이브를 걸고 있는  새누리당과 함께 전날 대선출마를 공식 선언한 박근혜 전 비상대책위원장에게 가장 먼저 불어닥칠 것으로 보인다.

새누리당 원내지도부가 이날 즉각적으로 사퇴한 것은 그만큼 파장이 크다는 것을 방증한다.

특히 `국회의원 불체포특권 포기'는 박 전 위원장이 비상대책위원장으로 취임한 이후 비대위에서 처음으로 의결한 쇄신안이라는 점에서 더욱더 큰 부으로 작용하 고 있다는 분석이다.

박 전 위원장이 그간 약속한 것은 반드시 지킨다는 `원칙과 신뢰'를 자신의 트 레이드 마크로 삼은 상황에서 체포동의안 부결은 결국 박 전 위원장에게 상당한 타격이 될 수 있다. 

더욱이 이번 사건을 계기로 새누리당이 여전히 `4ㆍ11 총선' 승리에 도취돼 있는 것 아니냐는 비판이 제기될 경우 민심은 급속도로 악화될 수도 있다는 지적이 제 기된다.

이 같은 흐름은 본격적인 대선 운동에 돌입한 박 전 대표에게 큰 걸림돌이 될 공산이 커 보인다.

박근혜 경선 캠프는 현재 공식적인 언급을 삼가고 있지만, 내부에서는 상당히 당혹해하는 기류가 역력하다.

한 친박(친박근혜) 인사는 연합뉴스와의 통화에서 "박 전 위원장이 쇄신을 내세 우며 국회의원 기득권 내려놓기를 선언했는데 이번 결정으로 이게 사실상 죽게 됐다 "면서 "박 전 위원장이 전날 대선 출마를 선언하며 정치 자체를 바꾸겠다고 선언한 판에 새누리당이 가장 유력한 후보의 발걸음을 잡은 꼴이 됐다"고 비판했다.