161 votes against… First rejection at the 21st National Assembly
Han Dong-hoon’s speech “I have a recorded file”.
Concerns over criticism of the Democratic Party’s “cover-up for my family”.
The motion for the arrest of Democratic Party lawmaker Noh Woong-rae (pictured), accused of corruption, was rejected during a plenary session of the National Assembly on the 28th. It analyzes that the majority of the 169 Democratic Party lawmakers have voted against in an anonymous free vote.
That day, the National Assembly held a plenary session and rejected the motion for the arrest of Rep. Roh with 101 votes in favor, 161 against and 9 abstentions out of 271 present. It is the first time that a motion to arrest a member of the National Assembly has been defeated in the 21st National Assembly.
President Kim Jin-pyo announces voting results National Assembly Speaker Jin-pyo Kim announces the results of the motion to arrest Democratic Party lawmaker Noh Woong-rae at the National Assembly plenary session on the 28th. reporter Kim Chang-gil
Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, who presented the motion for the arrest to the National Assembly, said in a speech in the main conference hall, “There is a recorded file that records the scene where Rep. Roh received the money after receiving a request.” Minister Han said, “After exchanging specific requests, as he received the money, he said, ‘You gave it to me last time, why don’t you give it to me again?’ Representative Roh, who attended the debate of the opposition, insisted on the refusal, saying, “It’s a fabrication of fact” and “If this is intertwined, who will survive?”
The power of the people and the Democratic Party did not put the pros and cons of the arrest motion as a party argument, but submitted it to a free vote. It is estimated that many members of the Democratic Party, the majority of the 169 seats, voted against, and many members of Popular Power voted in favor. The Justice Party agreed with the party’s argument, stating, “The National Assembly should not serve as a bulletproof shield for those suspected of bribery and bribery.”
It is interpreted that the reason the Democratic Party lawmakers accepted the rejection is that they partially accepted Rep. Roh’s argument that filing the stop motion was “suppression of the opposition”. Many within the party felt that sending the motion to arrest even though Rep. Roh appeared before the prosecution was an excessive political offensive by the prosecution. In particular, it analyzes that many of the pro-Lee Jae-myung lawmakers opposed the passing of the motion to arrest Roh in order to protect Lee Jae-myeong. A party official said, “If we accept the motion to arrest Congressman Roh and oppose the motion to arrest Rep. Lee, which may exist, the controversy within the party will not grow.”
Democratic Party lawmakers also have a strong sense of resistance to prosecution investigations focused on opposition figures. Park Chan-dae, the top committee member, said at the on-site supreme committee meeting held that day in Gwangju, “The investigation of opposition party officials is KTX-level, but the price manipulation investigation of Deutsche Motors shares Kim Kun-hee (the lady) stands still like a rusty train.
The Power of the People “Experience Lee Jae-myeong’s Denial?”
There are also concerns within the Democratic Party that the rejection of the stop motion is not in line with public opinion. One first-time lawmaker concerned, “To the public, it could be seen as taking care of my family.”
In a comment, Park Jeong-ha, chief spokesman of People’s Power, criticized: “The Democratic Party has layers upon layers of protection for Rep. Roh behind the non-arrest privilege” and criticized that “they seem to have even practiced a denial for the day that may come for Lee Kim Hee-seo, chief spokesman of the Justice Party, said, “The stigma of the BTS party cannot be avoided.”
Rep. Roh issued a statement and asked for Minister Han’s remarks during the plenary session: “Please explain in detail to the public how the Justice Minister, not the appointed prosecutor, knows the contents of the transcript, that the parties they have not seen or heard.” Minister Han met with reporters and said, “The public will long remember today’s decision,” regarding the outcome of the motion to dismiss the arrest motion. The District Attorney’s Office Seoul central office issued a statement and said, “It is regrettable that the arrest motion was rejected by the National Assembly despite the clear reason to receive money and valuables using the position of a member of the National Assembly.”
Earlier, the 21st National Assembly passed all three motions to arrest Democratic Party MP Jeong Jeong-soon in October 2020, Independent MP Lee Sang-min in April 2021, and People Power MP Jeong Chan-min in September 2021.
