Kim Yong-min "Prosecutor Dictatorship... Must Reject"
Lee Sang-min "Renounce Immunity from Arrest, Pledge to the People"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, declared an indefinite hunger strike on the occasion of his first anniversary in office, sparking sympathy within the party regarding his strike. As rumors circulate that the prosecution can request an arrest warrant without summoning him for investigation, voices are growing louder that if a warrant is requested, the motion to consent to his arrest should be rejected. However, the non-Lee faction opposes this, warning that failing to uphold the political promise of 'waiving immunity from arrest' could solidify the 'bulletproof' frame.
Pro-Lee Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min said on the 4th on BBS's "Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal," "Although the party leader has said he will waive immunity from arrest, which can lead to various analyses and controversies, I personally believe that since the Democratic Party has clearly defined this as prosecutorial dictatorship, I think the motion should be rejected.
Amid a tug-of-war with the prosecution, Lee’s summons for investigation was canceled twice, leading to speculation that the prosecution may proceed with requesting an arrest warrant without summoning him. If an arrest warrant is requested during the regular parliamentary session, a vote on the motion to consent to arrest must be held.
Following Lee’s hunger strike, voices within the Democratic Party, mainly from the pro-Lee faction, are growing louder in calling for the rejection of the motion to consent to arrest. Lawmaker Kim said, "We all in the Democratic Party recognize and admit this as a politically oppressive investigation, so there is no reason to waive this (immunity from arrest). Regardless of the party leader’s declaration to waive it, my voting right is also my constitutional right, so that is a separate matter." He intends to cast a vote against the motion to consent to arrest.
However, the non-Lee faction is concerned that if the motion to consent to arrest is rejected, the 'bulletproof' frame could become entrenched. Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sang-min said on YTN's "News King with Park Ji-hoon," "(Waiving immunity from arrest) is a political promise that the leader and our party have made to the public several times," adding, "The most important things in politics are faith and trust, but because this has been overturned several times, we are now branded as a corrupt bulletproof party. Therefore, we must keep the promises we have already made several times."
He also said that Lee should take preliminary steps to ensure the motion to consent to arrest passes. He stated, "Since the leader has declared waiving immunity from arrest, it is unnecessary, but within the party, some strong supporters, whether lawmakers or hardcore supporters, are demanding not to participate in the vote or to reject it. The leader needs to proactively manage this so that such voices no longer arise."
However, some analysts suggest that even if the motion to consent to arrest is rejected due to public backlash against the prosecution’s unfair investigation, the repercussions will be less severe than during the first rejection in February. Former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Choi Jae-sung said on KBS's "Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs," "We cannot simply view the aftermath as just a backlash if it is rejected," adding, "Even if it is rejected, by now it has become difficult for the prosecution to gain public legitimacy or consent regarding their behavior and timetable, so I believe the backlash will be less severe than the first time."
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