'Privilege from Arrest, Willing to Relinquish'... Democratic Party Lawmakers Make Consecutive Resolutions (Comprehensive)

"No further discussions at the party level, so we decided to take direct action"
The Better Future issues a statement urging the waiver of immunity from arrest

Thirty lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea declared their renunciation of parliamentary immunity from arrest. The largest lawmaker group within the Democratic Party also held a party meeting urging the party to adopt a resolution to give up this immunity. As the Democratic Party showed hesitation over the issue of renouncing parliamentary immunity, drawing public criticism, a movement to resolve to give up the immunity seems to be growing, centered around the party's reformist faction.

Democratic Party lawmakers declared their intention to renounce parliamentary immunity by accepting the reform proposals of 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, Uh 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 Jung-min, and Hwang Hee, totaling 30 members, declared their renunciation of parliamentary immunity.

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

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

They continued, "Renouncing parliamentary immunity is the first reform proposal of the Democratic Party's Innovation Committee led by Kim Eun-kyung," and added, "However, no further discussions have been held at the party level, giving the impression that Democratic Party lawmakers lack the will for reform. This is why we lawmakers 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 meeting in the future, the Democratic Party will gather the consensus of all lawmakers on preventing a 'bulletproof parliament' and renouncing parliamentary immunity, and we expect more lawmakers to join."

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

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

It appears that the 30 Democratic Party lawmakers who declared their renunciation of parliamentary immunity this time sought to find a breakthrough on this issue.

Regarding the party meeting held the previous day, where the reform proposal was not adopted and was decided to be discussed later, the Democratic Party Innovation Committee stated, "Our proposal remains unchanged, and we are seriously questioning whether the Democratic Party has the will to reform. It is very disappointing that it was not passed at today's party meeting, and we hope for a prompt re-discussion."

The Better Future, the largest lawmaker group within the Democratic Party, also issued a statement on the same day urging the party meeting to resolve the renunciation of parliamentary immunity.

The Better Future said, "The Democratic Party is not receiving the trust of the people. We must face the reality that the party is perceived as one that protects its own members, constantly engages in factional fights, and internal conflicts," warning, "If the Democratic Party does not relinquish lawmakers' privileges at this point, it will not be able to regain the people's trust." They added, "While concerns about unfair warrant requests by the prosecution regime and oppression of opposition lawmakers are clear, we should not hide behind parliamentary immunity but rather confront these challenges boldly by mobilizing the party's full capabilities," and "Recognizing the importance of the promises made to the people, we urge a party meeting resolution to renounce parliamentary immunity."

They demanded, "We call for concrete actions such as 'not convening sessions for bulletproof purposes' and 'the concerned parties attending the court's substantive review of detention warrants.'" The Better Future emphasized, "Fighting against the repeated failures, incompetence, arrogance, self-righteousness, and allegations of power-related corruption of the Yoon Seok-yeol government is now the mission of the Democratic Party," and added, "To this end, the Democratic Party must be reborn as a trusted party through reform and must unite, which we emphasize once again."

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