Democratic Party Current and Former Lawmakers to Receive First Trial Verdict Today Over 'Fast-Track Clash'

The first trial verdict for current and former members of the Democratic Party of Korea, as well as related officials, who were brought to court over the 'National Assembly Fast-Track Clash' incident, will be delivered on December 19.

Yonhap News Agency

On this day at 2:00 p.m., the 12th Criminal Division of the Seoul Southern District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Jeonggon) will hold a sentencing hearing for ten individuals, including Democratic Party lawmakers Park Beomgye and Park Jumin, former lawmakers Lee Jongkul and Pyo Changwon, Presidential Office Political Affairs Secretary Kim Byungwook, as well as aides and party officials, who were indicted on charges including joint assault under the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts.

The Fast-Track Clash incident occurred in April 2019, when the Democratic Party and the Liberty Korea Party engaged in an intense confrontation, which escalated into physical altercations, over whether to designate bills such as the establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials and the introduction of the mixed-member proportional representation system as fast-track items.

In January 2020, these individuals were indicted without detention on charges of assaulting or injuring Liberty Korea Party officials during the process of responding to the Liberty Korea Party's obstruction of bill submissions and meetings during the 2019 National Assembly Fast-Track Clash incident.

At the final hearing held on November 28, the prosecution requested the court to impose a fine of 4 million won on lawmaker Park Beomgye and a fine of 3 million won on lawmaker Park Jumin. They also sought a fine of 15 million won for Presidential Office Political Affairs Secretary Kim Byungwook, 7 million won for former lawmaker Lee Jongkul, and 5 million won for former lawmaker Pyo Changwon. For the remaining aides and party officials, the prosecution requested fines ranging from 2 million to 12 million won.

In the same case, 26 officials from the People Power Party were sentenced to fines in the first trial and avoided losing their parliamentary seats. The prosecution did not appeal the verdict in that case, but some defendants have appealed, and the second trial is pending.