DP to decide whether to exempt indicted party leader from suspension of duties

SEOUL, March 22 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) will hold a party affairs committee meeting Wednesday to decide whether to exempt party leader Lee Jae-myung from suspension of duty by recognizing the prosecution's indictment as political retaliation, officials said.

The DP held an emergency Supreme Council meeting and decided to hold a party affairs committee meeting at 5 p.m. to discuss the matter, according to DP spokesperson An Ho-young.

The committee will decide whether it will apply Article 80 of the party charter, which mandates the suspension of duty for those indicted on corruption charges, to Lee.

The DP revised the article last year to allow the party to cancel a suspension if it determines the indictment is politically motivated, despite some of its members' criticism it is intended to prevent Lee from losing his chairmanship.

Earlier Wednesday, Lee was indicted on development corruption and bribery charges arising from his term as mayor of Seongnam, south of Seoul, years ago.

The DP's party affairs committee will also discuss whether to apply the charter to Reps. Ki Dong-min and Lee Soo-jin, who were indicted on charges of receiving illicit political funds.

"The Supreme Council acknowledged there were unfair reasons, such as political suppression, with these three people's cases, and decided to put the authoritative interpretation of Article 80 of the party charter on the agenda at the party affairs committee meeting," the DP spokesperson said.

"We denounce the prosecution's atrocious and unfair indictment intended to eliminate the opposition leader."

nyway@yna.co.kr
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