Assembly to decide on fate of ex-aide of Park Geun-hye
By Yi Whan-woo
The Ministry of Justice submitted an arrest motion to the National Assembly, Tuesday, for Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) who is now under investigation for bribery.
The Assembly will vote on the motion before the ongoing National Assembly session expires on Dec. 23.
Active lawmakers are immune to criminal prosecution or arrest while a parliamentary session is open. However, they can be arrested if a majority of fellow lawmakers give consent through a vote.
Choi, a key loyalist of former President Park Geun-hye, is suspected of taking bribes from the country's spy agency during Park's term. He will be arrested by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors ‘Office if more than half of 298 legislators vote in favor.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) as well as four opposition parties _ the LKP, the People's Party, the Bareun Party and Justice Party _ apparently are cooperative with the idea of voting.
DPK chief spokesman Rep. Park Wan-joo argued the Assembly should not protect Choi from the allegations.
The LKP did not object to the arrest motion, while the People's Party, the Bareun Party and Justice Party are calling for an immediate vote.
Such a move appears to be a bid to avoid backlash from the public.
"There's no doubt the motion will be put to the vote," a DPK official said.
But some political sources speculate there will be obstacles in putting the motion to vote.
They pointed out the earliest possible date for the vote will be Dec. 23.
"The day is Saturday and also the day before Christmas Eve. It's anybody's guess that the lawmakers will want to relax and not show up," a source said.
The DPK considers rescheduling the date for the plenary session and holding it on Dec. 20.
But the LKP is against the idea, claiming the parties fixed the date after consulting with each other and therefore it should not be changed abruptly.
The sources also speculated the LKP legislators, even if they agreed to putting Choi's fate to a vote, may abstain.
"This is because the LKP fears the party may suffer another factional divide, with Park
loyalists on the one hand and the anti-Park faction on the other," an analyst said.
The arrest motion will be put to a vote automatically in next year's first plenary session, if the vote does not take place this year.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office requested an arrest warrant for Choi, Monday.
He allegedly took 100 million won ($91,000) from former National Intelligence service Director Lee Byung-kee in 2014 while serving as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs and minister of strategy and finance.
Choi has been denying the allegations. He once claimed he would commit suicide in public if the allegations are found to be true.
The Assembly last endorsed an arrest motion for Rep. Park Ki-choon in August 2015 over suspicions of taking illegal political funds.
By Yi Whan-woo
The Ministry of Justice submitted an arrest motion to the National Assembly, Tuesday, for Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) who is now under investigation for bribery.
The Assembly will vote on the motion before the ongoing National Assembly session expires on Dec. 23.
Active lawmakers are immune to criminal prosecution or arrest while a parliamentary session is open. However, they can be arrested if a majority of fellow lawmakers give consent through a vote.
Choi, a key loyalist of former President Park Geun-hye, is suspected of taking bribes from the country's spy agency during Park's term. He will be arrested by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors ‘Office if more than half of 298 legislators vote in favor.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) as well as four opposition parties _ the LKP, the People's Party, the Bareun Party and Justice Party _ apparently are cooperative with the idea of voting.
DPK chief spokesman Rep. Park Wan-joo argued the Assembly should not protect Choi from the allegations.
The LKP did not object to the arrest motion, while the People's Party, the Bareun Party and Justice Party are calling for an immediate vote.
Such a move appears to be a bid to avoid backlash from the public.
"There's no doubt the motion will be put to the vote," a DPK official said.
But some political sources speculate there will be obstacles in putting the motion to vote.
They pointed out the earliest possible date for the vote will be Dec. 23.
"The day is Saturday and also the day before Christmas Eve. It's anybody's guess that the lawmakers will want to relax and not show up," a source said.
The DPK considers rescheduling the date for the plenary session and holding it on Dec. 20.
But the LKP is against the idea, claiming the parties fixed the date after consulting with each other and therefore it should not be changed abruptly.
The sources also speculated the LKP legislators, even if they agreed to putting Choi's fate to a vote, may abstain.
"This is because the LKP fears the party may suffer another factional divide, with Park
loyalists on the one hand and the anti-Park faction on the other," an analyst said.
The arrest motion will be put to a vote automatically in next year's first plenary session, if the vote does not take place this year.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office requested an arrest warrant for Choi, Monday.
He allegedly took 100 million won ($91,000) from former National Intelligence service Director Lee Byung-kee in 2014 while serving as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs and minister of strategy and finance.
Choi has been denying the allegations. He once claimed he would commit suicide in public if the allegations are found to be true.
The Assembly last endorsed an arrest motion for Rep. Park Ki-choon in August 2015 over suspicions of taking illegal political funds.
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