2 GNP and 1 NMDP Lawmakers Are in Danger of Losing Their Jobs

3 lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties, who were indicted for the charge of the violation of the election law during 4.13 general election last year, are in danger of losing their job by the sentence of an higher court on the appeal that nullifies the election.

The Seoul High Court 10th Criminal Trial (chief judge Kang Byung-Sup) sentenced the monetary penalty of 3 million won, 2.5 million won, and 3.5 million won and nullifies the election to Rep. Jeong In-Bong (GNP), Yoo Sung-Geun (GNP), and Park Yong-Ho (NMDP) respectively.

Since they cannot appeal to the Supreme Court for the reassessment of the case, if they are convicted by the review of a higher court, they will lose their jobs.

The court also sentenced the monetary penalty of 800,000 won to the GNP lawmakers, Reps. Shim Kyu-Chul, Kim Bu-Gyeom, and NMDP lawmaker Rep. Lee Hui-Gyu, changing the decision of the first trial that nullified the election. The Court also sentenced the 3 million won fine to the wife of Rep. Moon Hee-Sang (NMDP) instead of the imprisonment. Consequently, they may preserve their positions.

The Court confirmed the sentences of the first trial, monetary penalty of 700,000 and 800,000 won respectively, for Reps. Nam Kyung-Pil and Ahn Young-Geun.

According to the current election law, when the elected person is sentenced with over 1 million won monetary penalty for the violation of the election law or the spouse, direct families, the office manager, or an accountant are sentenced to the imprisonment, and the elected person also loses his or her congressional office.

The court stated, "the acts of gifts offering and groundless slanders must be punished severely to set up a fair election tradition and to change the `election-is-everything` mindset. The Court made judgments in terms of the intentions and methods of violation and the degree of organizational involvement."

The court also explained concerning the lawmakers who could preserve their positions, "considerable charges for the gift offerings were proven `not guilty` in the process of the review and the distribution of the business cards is a trivial violation to be punished."

Lee Jung-Eun lightee@donga.com