21 Out of 26 People Power Party Members Appeal in 'Fast-Track Clash' Case

Most current and former members of the People Power Party who were given fines in the first trial for the 'National Assembly Fast-Track Clash' case will now face a decision in the appellate court.

Na Kyungwon, People Power Party member. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

According to the Seoul Southern District Court on November 28, 21 out of the 26 defendants tried for the National Assembly Fast-Track Clash case have filed appeals.

The verdicts for five individuals, including People Power Party Floor Leader Song Eonseok, Assemblywoman Kim Jeongjae, and former Presidential Office Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Cheolho, have been finalized as they did not file appeals.

In the first trial held on November 20, Floor Leader Song and Assemblywoman Kim were each fined 11.5 million won for charges of obstruction of special official duties and violation of the National Assembly Act, while former Senior Secretary Hong was fined 1.5 million won for violating the National Assembly Act.

Assemblywoman Na and other defendants were indicted in January 2020 on charges of confining then-Bareunmirae Party lawmaker Chae Ibae in his office in April 2019, and occupying the Bill Office, the National Assembly Special Committee on Political Reform, and the Special Committee on Judicial Reform.

At the time, the ruling and opposition parties were locked in an intense confrontation over whether to designate the bill to establish the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the bill to introduce a mixed-member proportional representation system as fast-track (expedited) bills, which eventually escalated into physical clashes.

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