'Maintaining Suspension Upon Indictment'
Compromise Allows Relief Through Party Disciplinary Committee Decision
Some Party Members Oppose, Calling for Complete Deletion of Party Charter Article 80
Some Party Factions and Ruling Party Criticize Compromise as a Loophole
Lee Jae-myung, a candidate for the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a citizen talk show at EXCO in Buk-gu, Daegu on the 31st of last month. Photo by Yonhap News.
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The Emergency Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea is facing strong backlash from some party members and pro-Lee Jae-myung faction lawmakers after deciding not to amend Article 80, Paragraph 1 of the party constitution (which mandates suspension from duty upon indictment), a provision that had sparked controversy as a 'Lee Jae-myung shield.' Instead of maintaining the provision, they revised some wording in Paragraph 3 to open a path for relief, but even this compromise is being rejected. Conversely, criticism has arisen both inside and outside the political sphere that the committee’s compromise is a 'cunning amendment' allowing party officials under indictment to be shielded.
On the 17th, a petition titled "Request for Complete Deletion of Article 80 of the Party Constitution" was posted on the Democratic Party’s member petition system. The petitioner stated, "We condemn the Emergency Committee for overturning the results of Article 80, which the Party Convention Preparation Committee had deliberated on for nearly a month." They added, "We are currently in an abnormal prosecutorial republic," emphasizing, "Political judgments cannot be entrusted to the prosecution. Article 80 must be completely deleted." As of 11 a.m. on the 19th, the petition had garnered over 45,000 signatures.
Previously, the Democratic Party’s Emergency Committee concluded to maintain Article 80, Paragraph 1. This decision was made in awareness of criticism from inside and outside the political world that the amendment was a 'Lee Jae-myung shield.' However, they amended Paragraph 3, which contains relief measures, changing the body responsible for judging unjust reasons such as political persecution from the Ethics Tribunal to the Party Affairs Committee. This compromise was designed to make relief easier through the Party Affairs Committee’s decision, which can make more political judgments than the Ethics Tribunal. If this amendment passes, party officials indicted for corruption, etc., can retain their positions based on the Party Affairs Committee’s judgment.
However, party members believed to support Lee Jae-myung and pro-Lee faction lawmakers have also opposed the compromise. Lawmaker Jeong Cheong-rae said on Facebook, "We cannot entrust the party’s fate to a political indictment by a single prosecutor. It’s truly a foolish act," adding, "The Emergency Committee must respond to the sacred anger of party members. I absolutely oppose the Emergency Committee’s plan." Lawmaker Park Chan-dae also said, "The Emergency Committee made a very regrettable decision. Is it true comradeship to fall into moral perfectionism, lay down even the minimum shield, and force us to fight the enemy bare-handed?"
The Democratic Party leadership has stated there will be no further discussions. Emergency Committee Chair Woo Sang-ho said in an interview with YTN Radio’s 'News King Park Ji-hoon,' "When we actually conducted the Emergency Committee, more than half of the members raised concerns that if we amend the party constitution now, the public will judge that the Democratic Party’s will to eradicate corruption has weakened," adding, "To avoid that perception and because it is difficult to discipline cases with political indictments, we compromised. We expect party members to accept this."
Nonetheless, criticism that the Emergency Committee’s compromise is also a shield amendment for Lee Jae-myung remains. Even if Article 80, Paragraph 1 is maintained, revising the relief clause in Paragraph 3 allows for 'self-relief.' The chair of the Party Affairs Committee, which judges relief, is the party leader, and Lee Jae-myung is the likely winner of the upcoming party leadership election. Regarding this, Lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon pointed out in an interview with CBS Radio’s 'Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show,' "The Party Affairs Committee is chaired by the party leader and follows the party leader’s intentions," highlighting that the party leader’s influence is inevitable.
Criticism of the 'cunning amendment' also came from the ruling party. Park Jeong-ha, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, issued a statement saying, "If Lee Jae-myung becomes party leader, he will be able to grant himself exemption from suspension of duty," adding, "If controversy arises and public concern grows, it is the duty of politics to reconsider the will of the people. You cannot cover the sky with your palm."
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