Minor progressive party sues Saenuri, DUP for libel

Reps. Lee Seok-ki, right, and Kim Jae-yeon, center, speak to reporters during their visit to the Seoul Supreme Prosecutors’ office to file a libel complaint against Lee Hahn-koo and Park Ki-choon, floor leaders of the Saenuri Party and the Democratic United Party, respectively, over the two main parties’ decision to conduct qualification checks on them, Monday. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

The minor Unified Progressive Party (UPP) filed a libel complaint with the prosecution Monday against floor leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties over their decision to conduct qualification checks on its lawmakers.

While hammering out a compromise on the government restructuring bill Sunday, the Saenuri Party and the Democratic United Party (DUP) agreed on proposing a joint bill to check whether the two UPP lawmakers are qualified to serve. They agreed to conduct the screening at the National Assembly Ethics Committee by the end of March.

Reps. Lee Seok-ki and Kim Jae-yeon allegedly resorted to illegal activities to pave their respective ways to represent the UPP under the proportional representation system ahead of the April 11 general election last year. They are also criticized as being North Korean sympathizers.

The UPP reacted vigorously to the move.

“The two parties’ decision is deplorable. We’ve already verified that Reps. Lee and Kim did not engage in any illegality during the election,” said UPP leader Lee Jung-hee at an emergency meeting.

Lee claimed the DUP has given up its role as the main opposition party by joining the Saenuri Party in the suppression of a minor party.

After the meeting, Rep. Kim Mi-hyui, the spokeswoman for the UPP, said, “The UPP decided to file a complaint against Lee Hahn-koo of the ruling party and Park Ki-choon of the DUP for libel.”

Kim Jae-yeon said, “It is obvious libel to push ahead with checking the qualifications of somebody who has not even been indicted by the prosecution.”

She said, in addition to the two floor leaders, she will immediately take legal action against any lawmaker who joins in the qualification check, adding that the two main parties were behaving shamefully at a time when the public is calling for a political overhaul.

For his part, Lee Seok-ki said, “Trying to eliminate dissenting voices or political opponents amounts to violence.” He added it as a retributive action by the ruling party because of his active role in ousting Kim Jeong-hoon, President Park Geun-hye’s former ministerial nominee for future planning and science.

Lee was one of those who raised allegations against the nominee’s dual citizenship and his connection to the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Kim withdrew his nomination early this month.

“Kim’s withdrawal was fair because he is an American with black hair and is related to the CIA. But the Park Geun-hye administration is taking revenge on me,” he said.

Despite the UPP’s action, the Saenuri Party is urging the DUP to promptly screen the two lawmakers for their eligibility.

“Both parties will have to allay public concern about the two lawmakers who have been at the center of a controversy over rigged elections and demonstrated a pro-North stance,” said Lee Hye-hoon, a Supreme Council member.

The qualification of a lawmaker can be examined legally if more than 30 lawmakers propose a bill calling for it. Once proposed, the Ethics Committee evaluates them.

Reps. Lee and Kim could eventually lose their seats if two thirds of Assembly members vote against them. The Saenuri Party and DUP agreed that 15 lawmakers from each party will jointly propose the bill by the end of March.