Prosecutors Seeks Approval for the Arrest of a Lawmaker from National Assembly

The Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office submitted a proposal it received from the local court on June 22 to the National Assembly on the approval of the arrest of Rep. Park Chang-dal of the Grand National Party: the first such proposal for the 17th National Assembly.

Park allegedly breached the election law from September 2002 through March 2004 when he was engaged in pre-campaigning activities through a mountain climbers club and provided about 51.6 million won for what he said was public relations purposes to campaign workers.

“As we have publicly pledged that we would vote on a proposal for the arrest of a lawmaker within 24 hours of its submission, we will handle this proposal as we are dictated by the National Assembly Law,” GNP floor leader Kim Deog-ryong said. “It will be a non-party line free vote.” However, he expressed concerns and said, “It is inappropriate for the prosecutors to seek National Assembly approval for the arrest of a lawmaker.”

“The National Assembly will vote on the proposal as early as June 23,” Uri Party floor leader Chun Jung-bae said, while stressing an immediate vote on the proposal. “The 17th National Assembly, which started with a new set of resolutions, should break with the past and stop serving as a shield for lawmakers from public probes.”

During the 16th National Assembly, 15 proposals for the arrest of 13 lawmakers were submitted. Among them, seven were rejected, six were expired, and two were withdrawn. None of the 15 proposals were passed.

Meanwhile Park said, “I was unfairly singled out by the prosecution and the police for normal congressional activities.” He added, “I don’t understand why the proposal was submitted although I won’t eradicate evidence or abscond.”

Min-Hyuk Park jin0619@donga.com mhpark@donga.com