[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo has invoked the fast-track political crisis from three years ago in response to former lawmaker Na Kyung-won's declaration that she will not run for party leader, which has cast uncertainty over her political future. Former lawmaker Na immediately responded by calling it "delusion," but there are concerns that the trial related to the 'fast-track clash' incident could act as a landmine for her political career.
On the 27th, former lawmaker Na shared an article from when she was under investigation by prosecutors in 2019 regarding the fast-track clash through her social media (SNS), stating that Mayor Hong's post about the 'fast-track trial' was "a delusional novel written without even the minimum understanding of the facts, and merely a baseless inference brought about by his distorted prejudice."
Former People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won is entering the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 25th to hold a press conference regarding her candidacy for party leader. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
The article included Na's statement, "If there is anyone to take responsibility, it should be me as the floor leader." This was shared to refute Mayor Hong's claim that no leadership figure took responsibility during the fast-track political crisis.
The fast-track incident occurred in April 2019 when the Liberty Korea Party, the predecessor of the People Power Party, opposed the decision to fast-track the revision of the election law centered on the 'mixed-member proportional representation system,' the establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), and the adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecutors. This opposition led to violent clashes between ruling and opposition parties within the National Assembly, prompting the first invocation of security rights in 33 years. As a result of the fast-track process, 24 current and former lawmakers from the Liberty Korea Party were indicted.
Mayor Hong has repeatedly criticized the leadership's response to the fast-track issue. In November 2019, after meeting with former Liberty Korea Party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, who was on a hunger strike, to urge compromise, he emphasized on SNS, "The party lawmakers currently awaiting indictment have their political lives at stake simply because they followed the leadership's wrong judgment. However, if the fast-track issue that caused the indictments is politically resolved, the grounds for prosecution will disappear." Nevertheless, the party leadership responded with a hardline stance instead of compromise and failed to block the passage of the fast-track bills.
In 2020, as trials for lawmakers involved in the fast-track incident began in earnest, Mayor Hong criticized the defense arguments of the leadership via SNS. He said, "The defense content presented by the two lawyers representing the party during the two pretrial procedures was astonishing," and added, "When I heard the request to testify that 'the lawmakers acted voluntarily,' I doubted my ears. Could the lawmakers have disobeyed the leadership that held the nomination rights?" He pointed out that although the leadership publicly took 'personal responsibility' in front of reporters, they did not do so during the trial procedures.
Mayor Hong's recent challenge is a continuation of the verbal exchanges he has had with former lawmaker Na, but it is particularly significant given that Na is in a difficult position to plan for the future due to her decision not to run. If a fine of 5 million won or more is confirmed in the fast-track trial, she will be disqualified from running for office for five years, making it difficult for her to participate in next year's general election.
Former National Assembly Secretary-General Yoo In-tae said on the 26th on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "It has been three years since the fast-track indictments. Even if others are politically forgiven or compromises are made, the person who led the whole thing was the floor leader," adding, "(The fine) is at least 5 million won, and if I had to pick at least one person, the main culprit of the violation of the National Assembly Act who led the charge should at least take a break until the next general election."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
