Most Ruling and Opposition Lawmakers Intend to Run in General Election
Democratic Party Struggles Over Cutoff of No Woong-rae, Ki Dong-min, Lee Soo-jin
Representative Lee Jae-myung Faces Most Charges
The ruling and opposition parties have begun a full-scale 'nomination reshuffle.' Various criteria are considered, including the likelihood of winning, whether a candidate has served three consecutive terms in the same district, and morality. A notable difference from the past is the so-called 'judicial risk.' In particular, within the Democratic Party of Korea, it has been reported that party leader Lee Jae-myung contacted lawmakers embroiled in the 'cash envelope scandal' to assess the situation, making this issue a critical factor in nominations.
According to a comprehensive investigation by Asia Economy, there are currently 27 incumbent lawmakers on trial. Nine are from the People Power Party (Kim Jeong-jae, Park Seong-jung, Song Eon-seok, Yoon Han-hong, Lee Man-hee, Lee Cheol-gyu, Jang Je-won, Kim Hee-guk, Jeong Jin-seok), twelve from the Democratic Party of Korea (Kim Byung-wook, Park Beom-gye, Park Ju-min, Ki Dong-min, Kim Kyung-hyup, Noh Woong-rae, Moon Jin-seok, Yoon Gun-young, Lee Su-jin, Lee Jae-myung, Han Byung-do, Hwang Un-ha), and six independents (Hwang Bo Seung-hee, Ha Young-je, Park Wan-joo, Yoon Kwan-seok, Yoon Mi-hyang, Lee Sung-man). They are on trial for charges such as accepting illegal political funds, defamation of former presidents, and interference in local elections. Many of them intend to run in their constituencies despite being on trial.
Various Charges Against Incumbent Lawmakers Including Defamation of the Deceased, Illegal Political Funds, and Election Interference
In the case of the People Power Party, excluding seven lawmakers (Kim Jeong-jae, Park Seong-jung, Song Eon-seok, Yoon Han-hong, Lee Man-hee, Lee Cheol-gyu, Jang Je-won) involved in the 'Fast Track Clash Incident' related to the passage of the 2019 mixed-member proportional representation and police-prosecutor investigation authority adjustment bills, there are lawmakers Jeong Jin-seok and Kim Hee-guk. Lawmaker Jeong is currently undergoing a second trial for defaming former President Roh Moo-hyun via social media (SNS). The first trial court sentenced him to six months in prison. Lawmaker Kim was indicted in June 2021 for receiving split donations from executives of the Daegu Dyeing Industrial Complex Management Corporation, but the first trial has been ongoing for nearly three years.
For the Democratic Party, excluding three lawmakers (Kim Byung-wook, Park Beom-gye, Park Ju-min) involved in the Fast Track Clash Incident, nine lawmakers face judicial risks due to violations of the Political Funds Act or the Public Official Election Act. Lawmaker Noh Woong-rae is undergoing a first trial on charges of bribery and accepting illegal political funds. However, the trial is currently paused. Last month, Noh requested the court to submit a constitutional review petition, arguing that the criminal procedure law provision allowing prosecutors to decide whether to indict or not, known as 'prosecutorial discretion,' may be unconstitutional. The prosecution countered that Noh is attempting to delay the trial ahead of the general election.
Democratic Party lawmakers suspected of interfering in the 2018 local election for the Ulsan mayoral race are also on trial: Han Byung-do and Hwang Un-ha. However, their trial outcomes differ. Lawmaker Han was acquitted in the first trial, while Lawmaker Hwang was sentenced to three years in prison. Hwang appealed, stating he would prove his innocence in the second trial. The prosecution also appealed, arguing that the sentences for both lawmakers were too lenient.
Hwang Unha, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the sentencing trial for the 'alleged involvement of the Blue House in the Ulsan mayoral election' violation of the Public Official Election Act at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 29th. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@
Most independent lawmakers are involved in illegal political funds cases. Lawmaker Hwang Bo Seung-hee was indicted for receiving 50 million won from a person named Jeong for use in primaries and other activities. In the first trial on the 10th of last month, Hwang denied all charges. Lawmaker Ha Young-je is undergoing a first trial on charges of receiving approximately 167.5 million won in illegal political funds in exchange for helping a preliminary candidate's nomination ahead of the June 2022 Gyeongnam Provincial Assembly election.
Lawmakers Yoon Kwan-seok and Lee Sung-man are identified as key figures in the 'Democratic Party Convention Cash Envelope Scandal.' Lawmaker Yoon was sentenced to two years in prison in the first trial on the 31st of last month for receiving about 60 million won and proposing to distribute cash envelopes at the Democratic Party convention. Both the prosecution and Yoon appealed the first trial verdict. Unlike Yoon, who was only charged under the Political Parties Act, Lawmaker Lee was additionally charged under the Political Funds Act and was indicted without detention on the 7th.
The Lawmaker Facing the Most Charges is 'Lee Jae-myung'... Followed by 'Yoon Mi-hyang' Accused of Embezzling Donations to the Justice and Memory Foundation
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is greeting returning holiday travelers at Yongsan Station in Seoul on the 8th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
The lawmaker facing the most charges across both ruling and opposition parties is Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party. Lee faces nine charges in total, including breach of trust, third-party bribery (illegal remittance to North Korea case), violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, subornation of perjury, breach of trust under the Special Act on Economic Crimes, Conflict of Interest Prevention Act, Anti-Corruption Act, Act on the Regulation of Concealment of Criminal Proceeds, and third-party bribery (illegal donations to Seongnam FC case). Lee is currently undergoing a first trial for cases including the Baekhyeon-dong preferential treatment suspicion, illegal remittance to North Korea, illegal donations to Seongnam FC, and perjury demands impersonating a prosecutor.
Following Lee is Lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, who is embroiled in allegations of embezzling donations to the Justice and Memory Foundation. Yoon faces eight charges, including violations of the Subsidy Management Act, Local Finance Act, fraud, violation of the Fundraising Act, embezzlement in the course of duty, quasi-fraud, breach of trust in the course of duty, and violation of the Public Health Control Act.
Despite Being on Trial, Running in the General Election... The Democratic Party is Struggling with Cutoffs
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker No Woong-rae is holding a press conference on the 22nd general election candidacy at the National Assembly on the 14th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Most lawmakers on trial are also running in the 22nd general election. In the People Power Party, only Lawmaker Jang Je-won has declared he will not run, stating in December last year that he would "walk the path of white-clad service." No Democratic Party lawmakers have directly declared they will not run. On the contrary, Lawmaker Noh Woong-rae hopes to run in Mapo Gap, and Lawmaker Lee Su-jin in Seongnam Jungwon. Additionally, Lawmaker Lee Sung-man has rejoined the party and wishes to challenge again in Incheon Bupyeong Gap. Lawmaker Hwang Un-ha conditionally declared he would not run in the general election if a by-election primary for Daejeon Jung-gu mayor is not held.
Looking at each party's nomination criteria, some lawmakers are classified as ineligible. The People Power Party announced that for this general election, candidates convicted of crimes such as sexual offenses, stalking, illegal filming, child abuse, and child violence with a fine or higher penalty, and those convicted of violent crimes, property crimes, hit-and-run, bribery, election crimes, and drunk driving with a suspended sentence or higher will be excluded from nominations. For these crimes, even lower court rulings are grounds for exclusion.
The Democratic Party, as part of its 'People Participation Nomination' screening criteria, presented five major morality standards: ▲ history of bribery or corruption ▲ accountability ▲ history of sexual crimes ▲ fulfillment of national duties such as tax payment and military service ▲ history of workplace bullying and school violence. However, the Democratic Party's Candidate Verification Committee stirred controversy by including lawmakers such as Hwang Un-ha, who was sentenced to prison, and Noh Woong-rae, involved in the cash envelope scandal, on the list of those who passed verification. Recently, it has been reported that lawmakers with corruption histories such as Noh Woong-rae, Ki Dong-min, and Lee Su-jin are being considered for cutoff. These lawmakers are protesting, citing that party leader Lee Jae-myung is also on trial for bribery and other charges.
Cho Kuk, Yoo Dong-gyu... Amid Judicial Risks, "I Will Form a Party" "I Will Run"
Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation, is wearing a party jumper received from Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon on the 14th at the Liberty Unification Party headquarters in Yeouido before declaring his candidacy for the general election. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Although not incumbent lawmakers, some individuals with judicial risks have expressed their intention to run in the next general election. Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk officially announced the formation of a new party tentatively named 'Cho Kuk New Party' by holding a preparatory committee inauguration ceremony the day before. Cho stated, "The spirit of this general election is to judge the prosecutorial dictatorship regime," and added, "If the people ask me to cooperate with the Democratic Party in the proportional representation election as well as in constituencies, I will endeavor to do so." However, Cho was sentenced to two years in prison in the second trial for charges including abuse of authority, bribery, and obstruction of business. Both Cho and the prosecution have appealed the second trial verdict to the Supreme Court.
Yoo Dong-gyu, former Planning Director of Seongnam Urban Development Corporation and central figure in the 'Daejang-dong Development Preferential Treatment Scandal,' is challenging Lee Jae-myung in Incheon Gyeyang-eul. Yoo joined the Liberty Unification Party on the 14th, stating, "I came out because I could no longer watch Lee Jae-myung, who is nothing but a shell, continue to make bulletproof vests for himself." Yoo was indicted on bribery charges but was acquitted in the first trial. The prosecution appealed, arguing the sentence was too light.
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