By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
The governing Grand National Party (GNP) plans to submit a resolution to strip three opposition lawmakers of their National Assembly seats as part of efforts to prevent a recurrence of violent clashes inside the Assembly building, a party official said Friday.
The target is Reps. Kang Ki-kab and Lee Jung-hee of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP), and Moon Hak-jin of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), who were involved in a recent melee during a protest against some contentious bills.
The ruling party and the Assembly Secretariat filed complaints with the prosecution against the three legislators for interrupting assembly affairs and contempt. Investigations are already underway.
Next month, the GNP also is seeking to introduce legislation which would penalize lawmakers and others when they engage in violence and vandalism inside the assembly, the party's floor leader Hong Joon-pyo said.
The GNP plans to take the case involving the three to the assembly's ethics committee.
On Dec. 18, Moon of the DP reportedly used a sledgehammer to break into a conference room from which GNP legislators ― who were locked in while deputies from both sides scuffled ― retaliated by spraying fire extinguishers.
Kang, chairman of the minor opposition DLP, visited the office of Assembly Secretariat Chief Park Kye-dong and jumped on the table in the office to protest the assembly security personnel's removal of DLP officials to end their sit-in in front of the main chamber. Kang also rushed into Speaker Kim Hyong-o's office and criticized him for having invoked his rights to call out security personnel.
DLP officials and their aides had staged a sit-in to block the GNP's possible unilateral passage of bills, including several that are media-related which critics say would allow chaebol to control broadcasting networks, and a motion to ratify a free trade agreement between Korea and the United States (KORUS FTA).
Kang was told to make an appearance at the Yeongdeungpo police station Monday for interrogation.
Moon and Lee were also accused of violence on Dec. 26 during the introduction of the FTA motion a week ago.
Some members of the ruling party unilaterally introduced the motion and decided to advance it to a legislative review subcommittee in a closed-door room on Dec. 18.
The GNP said the trade pact with the United States is an essential step for national development.
On the other hand, opposition parties urged the government to present measures prior to the passage for farmers and small- and medium-sized businesses who are expected to suffer most from increased U.S. imports.
The parties agreed earlier this week to hold further discussions on the contentious bills during an assembly session in February and the opposition parties ended the sit-in protest.