Ruling Party Competes to Waive Immunity from Arrest... Opposition Draws the Line

Sixty-seven members of the People Power Party (PPP) have signed a pledge to waive their parliamentary immunity, stepping up pressure on the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). They are urging not only leader Lee Jae-myung but also DPK lawmakers to join in waiving their immunity. However, the DPK appears to be drawing a line, stating that the waiver of immunity should be limited to Leader Lee. Voices are also emerging that "under a prosecutorial regime, waiving immunity is impossible."

On the 22nd, DPK lawmaker Ahn Min-seok said on YTN's "News King Park Ji-hoon" that "(the pledge signing) is a kind of political offensive," adding, "How can we accept the abolition of parliamentary immunity, especially under a prosecutorial regime?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, proposed in his parliamentary negotiation group speech on the 20th, "Let us all sign the pledge to waive parliamentary immunity," and the day before, 67 PPP lawmakers, including Leader Kim, Floor Leader Yoon Jae-ok, and Policy Committee Chair Park Dae-chul, signed the pledge to waive parliamentary immunity.

The PPP's move to take the oath first seems aimed at pressuring DPK lawmakers to also join in waiving their parliamentary immunity. On the same day, Park Soo-young, head of the Yeouido Institute, said on his social media, "The People Power Party signed the waiver pledge at the party meeting. The Democratic Party said in their leader's speech that they would waive it, but it has only been two days, and they are backtracking. They truly are a party that criticizes others while doing the same."

The opposition party is generally against relinquishing parliamentary immunity, viewing it as one of the means to resist the "prosecutorial dictatorship regime." Former leader Song Young-gil expressed opposition on CBS Radio the day before, saying, "Without parliamentary immunity, how can the legislature fight against this prosecutorial dictatorship regime?" Lawmaker Ahn also stated, "If we waive parliamentary immunity in this situation where the opposition is being suppressed so blatantly, we will be arrested one after another," indicating a firm stance against waiving immunity.

Democratic Party lawmaker Jang Cheol-min also argued on BBS Radio that "the prosecution is not using its investigative powers objectively or with restraint but for political purposes, to suppress certain individuals, certain parties, or labor unions," adding, "Parliamentary immunity has existed precisely to be used in such cases," emphasizing the necessity of parliamentary immunity. Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won said on CBS's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show," "Let's all waive it. How can that all happen? The constitution needs to be amended," and added, "If you pledge to waive it and don't, then so be it."

The waiver of parliamentary immunity should be limited to Leader Lee. Four-term DPK lawmaker Woo Won-shik appeared on BBS Radio the day before and, when asked by the host whether DPK lawmakers should automatically waive their immunity in the future, said, "That's a different issue," adding, "I find it difficult to agree with the view that all parliamentary immunity should be waived."

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