Yoon approves motion to request parliamentary consent to arrest DP leader

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Yoon approves motion to request parliamentary consent to arrest DP leader

  • 기자 사진
  • SARAH KIM
Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, center, heads into his office during a hunger strike at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, Monday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, center, heads into his office during a hunger strike at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, Monday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol approved a motion requesting parliamentary consent to arrest Democratic Party (DP) chief Lee Jae-myung over bribery and other related charges on Tuesday, according to the presidential office.
 
Lee, a lawmaker representing Incheon's Gyeyang-B district, has been accused of breach of trust, bribery, abetting perjury and other charges related to the Baekhyeon-dong land development project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, and his alleged involvement in underwear company Ssangbangwool's alleged illegal cash remittance to North Korea.
 
Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for Lee on Monday. Earlier in the day, Lee was hospitalized due to deteriorating health 19 days into his hunger strike protesting the Yoon administration.
 
The prosecution's arrest warrant request was sent to the Seoul Central District Court, which was then delivered to the government.
 
Yoon signed off on the request during his trip to New York this week to attend the UN General Assembly.
 
The Justice Ministry is expected to report the motion to request Lee's arrest to the National Assembly as early as Wednesday, and a vote is expected to be held on Thursday.
 
The National Assembly Act stipulates that after submitting the arrest motion, it must be reported to the first plenary session and put to vote within 72 hours.
 
Parliamentary consent is necessary to arrest Lee because lawmakers have immunity from arrest while the parliament is in session. An arrest motion requires consent from a majority of lawmakers present to pass. However, the DP holds a majority in the National Assembly.
 
In New York, Yoon also approved the appointments of Kim Dong-cheol, a former lawmaker, as the new CEO of state-run utility company Korea Electric Power Corporation, or Kepco, and Bang Moon-kyu, minister of government policy coordination, as minister of trade, industry and energy.
 

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
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