{"id":2200288,"date":"2023-02-28T10:51:19","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T10:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2200288"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:09:36","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:09:36","slug":"south-koreas-opposition-leader-avoids-arrest-but-his-party-isnt-celebrating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/02\/south-koreas-opposition-leader-avoids-arrest-but-his-party-isnt-celebrating\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s opposition leader avoids arrest, but his party isn\u2019t celebrating"},"content":{"rendered":"
The leader of the Democratic Party (DP) avoided arrest over bribery allegations after a narrow parliament vote on Monday, but Lee Jae-myung must now helm an opposition that is anything but united behind him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Prosecutors <\/span>accused<\/span><\/a> Lee of receiving millions of dollars from corporate sponsors as mayor of Seongnam. In exchange, Lee allegedly <\/span>used his authority<\/span><\/a> as mayor to provide unfair advantages to these organizations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But Article 44 of the <\/span>ROK Constitution<\/span><\/a> states that incumbent lawmakers cannot be arrested or detained without the National Assembly\u2019s consent while the legislature is in session.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lee\u2019s fate was put to vote on Monday, and the National Assembly voted to reject the government\u2019s request by a margin of one vote. The motion was voted down 139-138 with nine abstentions and 11 deemed invalid.<\/span><\/p>\n Of the 297 lawmakers, all 114 People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers, six Justice Party lawmakers and one proportional representative announced they would vote for Lee\u2019s arrest on the private ballot. All 169 DP lawmakers attended the vote.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While observers expected 121 votes in favor of Lee\u2019s arrest, the actual count came to 139. Once the abstention and invalid votes are taken into account, that means that anywhere from 18 to 38 DP lawmakers could have voted in favor of Lee\u2019s arrest or at least chosen not to vote to keep him out of jail \u2014 a surprising result underlining stronger-than-expected opposition to his leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n OUT OF THE FRYING PAN, INTO THE FIRE<\/b><\/p>\n Yesterday\u2019s plenary vote seemed to undermine Lee Jae-myung\u2019s often-repeated claims that the bribery investigation was merely an attempt by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to <\/span>suppress the opposition<\/span><\/a> and that the DP was <\/span>united<\/span><\/a> behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n Instead, the vote revealed that the DP is internally divided between pro and anti-Lee factions. Even though the arrest motion was rejected, the number of DP defectors is considerable. It is a clear warning sign to Lee revealing contempt for him within his own party.<\/span><\/p>\n And Lee\u2019s troubles have only just begun. Monday\u2019s plenary vote was to determine Lee\u2019s arrest over a single charge \u2014 bribery allegations while he was Seongnam city mayor. But there are more serious charges, including a <\/span>real estate development scandal<\/span><\/a>, possibly violating <\/span>election laws<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>allegedly transferring<\/span><\/a> $8 million to North Korea in 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n The justice ministry could submit additional requests for Lee\u2019s arrest for every investigation it has opened against him. If that happens, Lee will likely spend more time going to court than attending the National Assembly. And the assembly may ultimately allow his arrest with another vote.<\/span><\/p>\n Prosecutors can still indict Lee over the bribery charge even though they cannot arrest him over it. So long as Lee leads the DP in the National Assembly, such a move \u2014 in conjunction with indictments over other charges \u2014 could strengthen the anti-Lee faction and embarrass his key supporters.<\/span><\/p>\n