The Shaky Status of the Uri Party as a Majority Party

The Supreme Court (chief judge: Lee Yong-woo) affirmed the original ruling against Uri Party lawmaker Bok Ki-wang (Asan in Chungnam, photo) at his final appeal on March 10. He was sentenced to a fine of two million won on the charge of violating election laws at his latest trial.

The lawmaker lost his seat in the National Assembly under the election law specifying that the election of a lawmaker be nullified when the person in question receives a prison sentence or a fine exceeding one million won. As a result, the number of Uri Party seats in the National Assembly (total: 296 seats, majority: 149 seats) has been reduced to 148 from 149. But it maintains the majority of seats (total: 295 seats, 148 seats: 50.2 percent).

However, Uri Party’s seats in the National Assembly will not retain the majority (total: 294 seats, majority: 148 seats) should the Supreme Court confirms the original ruling against Uri Party lawmaker Kim Gi-seok (Wonmi-gap, Bucheon, Gyeonggi) at his trial, scheduled for March 11. The lawmaker received an eight –month prison sentence and a one-year probation at his last trial.

This revocation of election for a lawmaker in the 17th National Assembly marks the fourth following Lee Sang-rak and Oh Shi-deok from the ruling Uri Party and Lee Deok-mo from the Grand National Party.

Former lawmaker Bok was accused of receiving 10,000 won per person from 120 residents in the election district in the days leading up to the general election for the 17th National Assembly in June 2003 in return for arranging a tour of Cheong Wa Dae and the National Assembly buildings, and conducting pre-campaigning for the election. He received five million won in fine at his first trial and a reduced fine of two million won at the second trial.

jin0619@donga.com