Voices from Pro-Myung Faction 'Refusal to Vote on Arrest Warrant'... Another Sign of 'Bangtan Controversy' Emerging

"Protect the Leader" Pro-Myeong Faction Rises to Defend Lee Jae-myung
Gominjeong "Is He Reversing His Waiver of Immunity?"

Amid speculation that the prosecution will request an arrest warrant for Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, during the September regular National Assembly session, some members of the pro-Lee faction are arguing that the vote on the arrest consent motion should be refused, sparking anticipated controversy. Tensions are expected to reignite between the pro-Lee faction, which advocates for "protecting Lee Jae-myung," and the anti-Lee faction, which worries about "shielding Lee Jae-myung."

At the first national convention of the pro-Lee faction's off-parliamentary group, the Democratic Party National Innovation Council, on the 20th, there was a proposal to refuse voting on the arrest consent motion if an arrest warrant is requested during the National Assembly session.

Democratic Party lawmaker Min Hyung-bae said in a congratulatory speech that day regarding the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant for Lee, "There is a very simple way to repel it," adding, "We just need to refuse to vote. By refusing to vote, we will protect Leader Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party." He further stated, "In doing so, we must definitely stop the cunning acts of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon."

There was also a claim to cast a rejection vote on the arrest consent motion for Lee. Democratic Party lawmaker Park Chan-dae said in a KBS radio interview, "If the warrant is requested during the session, I will not recognize it as a legitimate warrant request and will confidently cast a rejection vote."

Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is under suspicion of preferential treatment in the Baekhyeon-dong development, is appearing at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 17th for investigation. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

However, these claims from the pro-Lee faction are seen as contradictory to the Democratic Party's earlier declaration to waive the parliamentary immunity from arrest. The Democratic Party resolved to waive this immunity at a party meeting on the 18th of last month. Although it was conditional on 'when the warrant request is legitimate,' the party-level declaration was interpreted as an effort to dispel criticism of being a 'shielding party.'

Lee himself also stated in a June National Assembly negotiation group leader speech that he would waive parliamentary immunity from arrest. However, with speculation mounting that the prosecution's warrant request for Lee is imminent, the pro-Lee faction is resurfacing the "protect Lee Jae-myung" argument and voicing a different stance.

On the 17th, Lee appeared before the prosecution as a suspect in the Baekhyeon-dong development preferential treatment allegation case, reiterating, "If an arrest warrant is requested, I will voluntarily appear and undergo the examination." However, he demanded, "Abandon the trick of requesting the warrant during the session to provoke division and conflict, and request it confidently during the non-session period."

The prosecution's move to induce a vote on the arrest consent motion by requesting a warrant during the National Assembly session is seen as politically motivated. This aligns with the pro-Lee faction's claim that a warrant request during the session is an 'illegitimate warrant request.'

In this context, tensions between the pro-Lee and anti-Lee factions are also escalating. Regarding the pro-Lee faction's call to refuse voting on the arrest consent motion, Democratic Party Supreme Council member Ko Min-jung said in a CBS radio interview, "There was a stance from the Democratic Party on the arrest consent motion proposed by the party innovation committee and a response from the leadership," questioning, "Are they going to reverse that statement?"

Ko further said, "In politics, it is natural to keep promises once made," implying that the call to refuse voting on the arrest consent motion is inappropriate.

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