Vote on 'Ha Young-je Arrest Motion' in National Assembly Plenary Session on 30th
Ruling Party's Pledge to Waive Immunity Becomes Voting Variable
Both Approval and Rejection Pose Political Burden for Democratic Party
The vote on the arrest motion for People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Ha Young-je in the National Assembly plenary session presents a political dilemma for both ruling and opposition parties. With the arrest motion for Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung having been rejected, the Democratic Party has been burdened with the image of a 'bulletproof party.' Depending on the outcome of the vote on Ha Young-je's arrest motion, the political pressure could intensify further.
The PPP is also pressuring the opposition by having its members sign a pledge to forgo parliamentary immunity, but if the vote on Ha lawmaker's arrest motion goes in an unexpected direction, it will be difficult to avoid backlash.
According to the PPP on the 29th, 58 PPP lawmakers have signed a public pledge to forgo parliamentary immunity, surpassing half of the total seats (115 seats). This pledge contains a promise to the public that if an arrest motion is submitted during the session due to allegations of criminal conduct, the lawmaker will waive the parliamentary immunity stipulated in Article 44 of the Constitution and request fellow lawmakers to approve the arrest motion through a personal statement in the plenary session.
The PPP has drawn a line by stating that the pledge to forgo immunity was "not planned targeting any specific issue or individual," but in political circles, it is interpreted as a move to pressure Lee Jae-myung over his judicial risks. This is why attention is focused on the vote on the arrest motion for PPP lawmaker Ha on the 30th.
The prosecution requested an arrest warrant for Ha on the 20th on charges of violating the Political Funds Act and the Act on the Prohibition of Improper Solicitation and Graft.
On the afternoon of the 23rd, during the plenary session held at the National Assembly, a motion for consent to arrest Ha Young-je, a member of the People Power Party, who has been indicted on charges including receiving illegal political funds, was reported. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The PPP leadership has said it will leave the vote to the discretion of individual lawmakers, but many expect the arrest motion against Ha to be approved. An arrest motion requires a majority of the members present, with a quorum of more than half of all members.
If more than half of the ruling party lawmakers vote in favor of the arrest motion, as they did with the pledge to forgo immunity, the number of approval votes is expected to comfortably exceed the majority of those present in the plenary session. Even if the motion is approved, the political fallout may vary depending on the number of votes. If the motion passes but with fewer votes than expected, it could raise doubts about the ruling party's pledge to forgo immunity.
From another perspective, there could be analysis that some Democratic Party members voted against Ha Young-je's arrest motion. Given the secret ballot nature, it is impossible to know who voted for or against, which could lead to political debates surrounding the vote results.
With a majority of seats effectively holding the key to approval or rejection, the Democratic Party will find it difficult to avoid political burdens regardless of the outcome. Voting in favor would contrast with the consecutive rejections of arrest motions against leader Lee and lawmaker Roh, and could fuel ongoing criticism of being a 'bulletproof' party. The judicial risk dispute surrounding Lee is likely to intensify.
The scenario of the arrest motion being rejected is also not favorable for the Democratic Party. It would be difficult to avoid criticism of parliamentary immunity as a 'bulletproof' shield, and there is a risk of being perceived as defending Ha's alleged crimes. Additionally, the party could be accused of politically rejecting the motion in consideration of Lee's arrest motion.
The Democratic Party has stated that it will leave the vote to the discretion of individual lawmakers without a party-level directive.
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