'Privilege from Arrest, We Will Surrender It First'... Declaration by 31 Democratic Party Lawmakers

"No further discussion at the party level, so I stepped forward"

On the 14th, 31 members of the Democratic Party of Korea declared their renunciation of parliamentary immunity from arrest.

The Democratic Party members announced that they would give up their immunity from arrest by accepting the reform proposal from the party's Innovation Committee.

Democratic Party lawmakers Kang Byung-won, Ko Yong-jin, Kim Kyung-man, Kim Jong-min, Kim Cheol-min, Min Hong-chul, Park Yong-jin, Seo Sam-seok, Song Gap-seok, Shin Dong-geun, Yang Ki-dae, Eo Ki-gu, Oh Young-hwan, Yoon Young-chan, Yoon Jae-gap, Lee Dong-joo, Lee Byung-hoon, Lee Sang-min, Lee So-young, Lee Yong-woo, Lee Won-wook, Lee Jang-seop, Jo Seung-rae, Jo Oh-seop, Jo Eung-cheon, Choi Jong-yoon, Heo Young, Hong Ki-won, Hong Young-pyo, Hong Jeong-min, and Hwang Hee, totaling 30 members, declared their renunciation of immunity from arrest.

They stated, "As members of the Democratic Party of Korea, we want to take the first step toward restoring the public's trust in the National Assembly by relinquishing our parliamentary immunity from arrest."

The Democratic Party members said, "Article 44 of the Constitution stipulates the right of members of the National Assembly to immunity from arrest, and the National Assembly has handled government requests for consent to arrest through voting accordingly," adding, "As a practical measure to give up the constitutionally guaranteed right to immunity from arrest, if a consent to arrest request is submitted, we will not engage in rescue activities, and we will clearly express our intention to renounce immunity from arrest during personal statements in the plenary session."

They continued, "Renouncing immunity from arrest is the first reform proposal of the Democratic Party's Innovation Committee led by Kim Eun-kyung," and added, "There has been no further discussion at the party level on this matter, which gives the impression that Democratic Party members lack the will for reform. This is why we, the members, have stepped forward."

Representative Lee Jae-myung, Floor Leader Park Kwang-on, and other members of the Democratic Party of Korea are shouting slogans demanding a government investigation into the change of the terminus of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway at the policy members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 13th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

They said, "We hope that through holding a party-wide members' meeting in the future, the Democratic Party will gather the consensus of all its members on preventing a shielded National Assembly and renouncing immunity from arrest, and we expect more members to join this effort."

Earlier, Kim Eun-kyung, chair of the Democratic Party Innovation Committee, requested members to renounce immunity from arrest as the first reform proposal. When discussions on immunity from arrest did not proceed properly, on the 13th, Park Kwang-on, the Democratic Party floor leader, urged at a members' meeting, "I hope the first reform proposal suggested by the Innovation Committee will be approved at the members' meeting," adding, "This is also the minimum measure for the public who desire change in the Democratic Party. I hope that today, we officially declare our resolution to give up immunity from arrest for legitimate warrant requests."

Despite the Innovation Committee's request and Floor Leader Park's appeal, the issue of immunity from arrest remained unresolved, leading to criticism that the Democratic Party could not even accept reform proposals.

Through this declaration of renouncing immunity from arrest by 31 Democratic Party members, it appears they sought a kind of breakthrough on this issue.

Regarding the decision at the previous day's members' meeting not to adopt the reform proposal and to discuss it later, the Democratic Party Innovation Committee stated, "Our proposal remains unchanged, and we are seriously questioning whether the Democratic Party has the will for reform. It is very disappointing that it was not passed at today's members' meeting, and we hope for a prompt reconsideration."

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