Han Dong-hoon Explains 'No Woong-rae Arrest Consent Bill,' Will It Sway Voter Sentiment?

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] On the afternoon of the 28th, Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, will go to the National Assembly to explain the legitimacy of the approval of the arrest consent bill for Assemblyman Roh Woong-rae of the Democratic Party of Korea. Having always left a strong impression at official events related to the National Assembly, he is drawing keen attention from both the political and legal circles.

Regarding his schedule earlier that day, Minister Han said, "According to the law, I will explain before the vote, and the result will be carried out accordingly." Generally speaking, it is difficult to expect that Minister Han’s remarks will stimulate the voting intentions of the lawmakers. Previous ministers who went to the National Assembly to explain the necessity of the arrest consent bill merely conveyed the specific charges against the assemblyman and the current status of investigations conducted by the prosecution and other investigative agencies. However, some in the legal community analyze that Minister Han might be somewhat different. One official predicted, "Regardless of whether it influences the vote, the remarks Minister Han will make this time are likely to attract great public interest."

Minister Han may have a major clash with the Democratic Party at the National Assembly. He has taken opposing stances against the Democratic Party on various cases. The ongoing power struggle with Kim Eui-gyeom, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, was triggered by allegations related to the 'Cheongdam-dong drinking party.' Recently, Minister Han responded to criticisms of the rule of law after Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, criticized the prosecution following a summons and disclosed the names and affiliations of the prosecutors investigating him.

Before the vote on the arrest consent bill, the National Assembly will hear Minister Han’s explanation and Assemblyman Roh’s personal statement. Depending on their statements, the Democratic Party’s votes could be divided. It is reported that internal opinion within the Democratic Party is significantly split as its members calculate their positions differently regarding Assemblyman Roh’s arrest consent bill. While there is concern about criticism of a 'shielded National Assembly' if the bill is rejected, on the other hand, the bill is seen as a preliminary battle for securing the custody of Leader Lee Jae-myung, who is effectively under judicial risk, raising worries that the party could face a major crisis if the bill passes.

The vote will be conducted anonymously without debate. If a majority of the total members are present and a majority of those present vote in favor, Assemblyman Roh’s arrest consent bill will be approved. If approved, the court will immediately set a pre-arrest hearing date, summon Assemblyman Roh and the prosecution to hear their positions, and then decide whether to issue an arrest warrant. If rejected, it will be the first time in the 21st National Assembly. Previously, the arrest consent bills for Assemblymen Jeong Jeong-sun (Democratic Party), Lee Sang-jik (Independent), and Jeong Chan-min (People Power Party) were all approved. Since the Constituent National Assembly convened in 1948, a total of 65 arrest consent bills for lawmakers have been submitted to the National Assembly. Sixteen were approved, sixteen were rejected, and thirty-three were withdrawn or discarded due to term expiration. In the 20th National Assembly, five bills (Hong Moon-jong, Yeom Dong-ryeol, Choi Kyung-hwan, Lee Woo-hyun, Kwon Seong-dong) were submitted but all were either rejected or discarded.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.