Innovation Committee Demands Party Resolution to 'Waive Immunity from Arrest'... The Democratic Party's Choice

Ruling Party Pressures Declaration to 'Waive Immunity from Arrest'
Some Cautious Voices Within Democratic Party..."Decisions Should Be Made Case by Case"

There have been calls within the party to expand Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, declaration of 'waiving parliamentary immunity from arrest' to the entire party. This comes as the Democratic Party's Innovation Committee on the 23rd demanded, as its first reform measure, that all lawmakers pledge to waive their immunity from arrest and adopt the approval of future arrest motions as party policy.

This demand by the Innovation Committee to adopt the party policy is the first reform card aimed at restoring the party's morality. The Democratic Party has suffered significant damage to its moral standing due to allegations of cash envelopes at the party convention and controversies over lawmaker Kim Nam-guk's virtual asset investments.

Meanwhile, the People Power Party has been pressuring the Democratic Party daily with the 'bulletproof party' frame. Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, mentioned on the 22nd at the Supreme Council meeting that members of his party had signed a pledge to waive parliamentary immunity from arrest, saying, "If the Democratic Party has any will to reform, let's meet even today and sign the pledge to waive parliamentary immunity from arrest together."

The repeated rejection of arrest motions, which has solidified the image of a bulletproof party, poses a significant political burden for the Democratic Party. Since Lee Jae-myung took office, four arrest motions against Democratic Party lawmakers have been rejected: lawmaker Noh Woong-rae in December last year, Lee himself in February, and independent lawmakers Yoon Kwan-seok and Lee Sung-man on the 12th of this month. In contrast, the arrest motion against independent lawmaker Ha Young-je, who was formerly with the People Power Party, was approved in March.

If the Innovation Committee's demand to waive parliamentary immunity from arrest is not accepted, the reform efforts through the Innovation Committee may be criticized as merely performative.

Democratic Party Innovation Committee spokespersons Yoon Hyung-jung and Kim Nam-hee are briefing the results of the 2nd Innovation Committee meeting at the National Assembly Communication Office on the afternoon of the 23rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Within the party, pressure is mounting, especially from the anti-Lee Jae-myung faction, to make the pledge to waive parliamentary immunity from arrest party policy. On the same day, Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Won-wook said in an interview with KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs' that Lee's declaration to waive parliamentary immunity from arrest was "belated but at least fortunate," adding, "It should be expanded to the entire Democratic Party. It should also be discussed at the party caucus."

Lee said, "(Waiving parliamentary immunity) was also a presidential candidate pledge by Lee, but reversing it and turning it into a bulletproof shield has led to a decline in trust and support for the Democratic Party, which is an issue that needs to be evaluated," adding, "It is actually a matter that could be decided in a day if all 167 Democratic Party lawmakers gather and decide as a party policy."

Whether Democratic Party lawmakers will accept the demand to waive parliamentary immunity from arrest remains uncertain. Since Lee's declaration on the 19th, Democratic Party lawmakers have been cautious about making it party policy.

Senior lawmaker Woo Won-shik, a four-term veteran, said on BBS Radio on the 21st, "Because there is also the issue of how much more unfair power the prosecution will exercise, it is difficult for everyone to agree to waive parliamentary immunity." On the same day, Supreme Council member Song Gap-seok said on SBS Radio, "Lee declared that he would not use parliamentary immunity for his own judicial issues, but other lawmakers should make judgments on a case-by-case basis considering the reasons for detention and public expectations."

There are also criticisms that the Innovation Committee's demand to adopt the waiver of parliamentary immunity as party policy is merely declarative. Since declarations and pledges do not carry legal binding force, the party's stance could change if circumstances change. The 21st National Assembly's term ends on May 29 next year.

Spokesperson Kim Nam-hee said at a briefing that day regarding such criticisms, "The Innovation Committee was not created to discuss legal issues," adding, "It discussed what the party should do to restore the role and trust of the party."

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