Ruling party lawmakers pledge to renounce immunity from arrest
SEOUL, March 23 (Yonhap) -- Fifty-one lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) pledged Thursday to renounce their right to immunity from arrest, saying it worsens people's distrust in politics and conflict between the rival parties.
The lawmakers, including floor leader Joo Ho-young, made the pledge in a news conference, promising to ask fellow lawmakers to vote for their arrest if the government requests parliamentary consent as required by law to arrest lawmakers while the National Assembly is in session.
The pledge came a day after the justice ministry sought parliamentary consent for the arrest of PPP Rep. Ha Young-je on charges of receiving illicit political funds. The motion for Ha's arrest is expected to be reported to the Assembly later Thursday and put to a plenary vote a week later.
Last month, the justice ministry also sought parliamentary consent for the arrest of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung over corruption charges, but the opposition-controlled Assembly narrowly voted to reject the request.
The PPP lawmakers called on the rival parties to discuss measures to nullify the immunity right, saying the "bulletproof" Assembly hinders the normalization of politics.
Rep. Lee Tae-kyu of the ruling People Power Party speaks at a news conference at the National Assembly in western Seoul on March 23, 2023. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
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