Rival parties agree to vote on arrest motion for ex-PPP floor leader over martial law attempt

Rep. Choo Kyung-ho, a former floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), attends a PPP general meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul, Nov. 4. Yonhap

The ruling and opposition parties agreed Monday to vote later this month on the arrest motion for Rep. Choo Kyung-ho, former floor leader of the People Power Party (PPP), over his alleged role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief martial law attempt.

The National Assembly will receive the arrest motion for Choo of the main opposition at Thursday's plenary session and put it to a vote on Nov. 27, Rep. Moon Jin-seog of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said after a meeting between the rival parties' floor leaders.

Choo is accused of blocking other PPP lawmakers from taking part in a parliamentary vote to lift Yoon's martial law decree by changing the location of an emergency general meeting of PPP lawmakers multiple times on the night of Dec. 3, when the martial law was declared. Choo was then the party's floor leader.

The special counsel team suspects Choo deliberately changed the venue at Yoon's request.

By law, sitting lawmakers are immune from arrest while parliament is in session and can only be put under arrest with consent from the National Assembly.

At Thursday's plenary session, the Assembly will also handle around 54 bills, including the one on appointing three positions to the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.

Proposed legislations on semiconductors and revisions to banking and franchise laws will not be put to a vote at this week's session, a decision made to give the rival parties more time to reach consensus before the second plenary session.

The proposed amendment to the Aviation Safety Act, aimed at restricting the flying of anti-North Korea leaflets, will also be excluded from this week's plenary agenda.