Lee Jae-myung's 'Judicial Risk' Resurfaces... What If the Arrest Consent Motion Comes Again?

Former Vice Governor E Hwa-young's Remarks Cause Ripple in Political Circles
Party Resolution Due to Democratic Party's Rejection? Variable in Waiving Immunity Privilege
Ha Tae-kyung "Opinions May Diverge Within the Democratic Party"

Former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young's reversal of her statement that she reported former Ssangbangwool Chairman Kim Sung-tae's North Korea remittance-related matters to Lee Jae-myung, then Governor of Gyeonggi Province and now leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has once again brought Lee's judicial risks to the surface.

With the Democratic Party adopting a party stance to 'waive immunity from arrest,' attention is drawn to whether the arrest consent motion for Lee, which was rejected last February, will pass if resubmitted this time. Since the waiver of immunity is conditional upon a 'legitimate warrant request,' there is a possibility of intensified factional conflict over this issue.

On the 20th, Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "If another arrest consent motion for Lee is submitted, opinions within the Democratic Party will probably be divided," adding, "There will likely be a big fight over whether the warrant is legitimate or not."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Democratic Party held a party meeting on the 18th and adopted 'waiving immunity from arrest' as a party stance, but attached the condition that it only applies if a legitimate warrant is requested, which sparked controversy. This could be interpreted as an intention to shield again if the warrant is judged illegitimate.

The Democratic Party states that the standard for a legitimate warrant will be based on the 'public's perspective.' Kang Sun-woo, a Democratic Party spokesperson, previously said on SBS Radio, "When we judge a warrant request as legitimate, it means that there must be detention in this investigation, and if the content is persuasive, we will proceed accordingly. And that standard is the public's perspective," while also claiming that the arrest consent motion for Representative Roh Woong-rae, conducted at the end of last December, was not a legitimate warrant request.

However, a survey conducted by Newsis, commissioned to the People's Research Group and Ace Research at that time, showed that 53.1% of respondents answered that the arrest consent motion for Representative Roh should be passed.

Ultimately, the standard of a 'legitimate warrant' is likely to be left to the individual judgment of each lawmaker. Yoon Young-chan, a non-mainstream Democratic Party lawmaker, said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the same day, "I think our party will make a judgment on the arrest consent motion. But above all, the arrest consent motion is an inherent right and conscience held by each lawmaker," adding, "Since we said we would judge warrants with legitimate reasons, lawmakers will make wise decisions on that matter."

Factional strife within the Democratic Party may intensify over the warrant request.

Jeong Seong-ho, a leader of the pro-Lee faction, expressed concern on BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal' on the same day, saying, "The prosecution will most likely avoid the session period and conduct summons investigations during the recess, or not request a warrant afterward, but then request it during the session. Then, Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon will come out to the National Assembly and explain the arrest warrant in detail to sway public opinion, and they might try to cause internal strife within the Democratic Party."

The ruling party also seems to be expecting opposition party division as a result of this incident. Representative Ha said, "There is a high possibility of serious internal conflict within the Democratic Party because the former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor for Peace is a person from former leader Lee Hae-chan's faction, and this could be interpreted as a signal that Lee Hae-chan has cut ties with Lee Jae-myung," adding, "Then, if the arrest consent motion is submitted, the number of votes in favor is likely to increase significantly."

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