PP Lawmakers Fined, Keep Seats After Clash Convictions

Six current legislators from the People Power Party, including Rep. Na Kyung-won and Floor Leader Song Eon-seog, were sentenced and fined by...

Six current legislators from the People Power Party, including Rep. Na Kyung-won and Floor Leader Song Eon-seog, were sentenced and fined by a court on the 20th due to their participation in conflicts during the expedited designation process of the National Assembly Election Law and the Act for the Investigation of Corruption in High-Ranking Officials. However, the fines did not meet the level required to result in the loss of their parliamentary seats (5 million Korean won for violations of the National Assembly Act or imprisonment for general criminal offenses), so they will keep their positions even if the rulings are finalized. Former leader of the Liberty Korea Party, Hwang Kyo-ahn (now leading Freedom and Innovation), along with other former lawmakers who were also charged, received fines but were not disqualified from running for office.

The 11th Criminal Division of the Seoul Southern District Court, presided over by Judge Jang Chan, imposed fines on Na Kyung-won, Hwang Kyo-ahn, and 24 others for offenses such as hindering official duties and violating the National Assembly Advancement Act (National Assembly Act). The incident originated from conflicts in April 2019 when the Democratic Party, in collaboration with smaller pro-Democratic factions like the Justice Party, advocated for electoral reform (a mixed proportional representation system) to create the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. The Liberty Korea Party, which was the opposition at the time, tried to prevent this, resulting in the indictment of Na and others in January 2020 for allegedly restricting Rep. Chae Yi-bae of the Bareunmirae Party within a lawmaker's office and seizing the meeting rooms of the National Assembly’s legislative affairs office, Political Reform Special Committee, and Judicial Reform Special Committee.

The court imposed a fine of 20 million South Korean won on Na, the former floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party, for hindering official duties and 4 million South Korean won for breaching the National Assembly Act. Song Eon-seog, the current floor leader of the People Power Party, was fined 10 million South Korean won for hindering official duties and 1.5 million South Korean won for violating the National Assembly Act. Members of the People Power Party, including Kim Jung-jae, Yoon Han-hong, Lee Man-hee, and Lee Chul-gyu, each received fines ranging from 4 million to 10 million South Korean won for obstruction of official duties and 1.5 million South Korean won for violating the National Assembly Act. Those convicted of obstructing official duties with imprisonment or violating the National Assembly Act with fines exceeding 5 million South Korean won would face removal from their parliamentary positions and temporary disqualification from seeking office. During the sentencing, the court remarked, “Lawmakers from the Liberty Korea Party hindered legislative activities by employing physical force within the National Assembly, a venue meant for discussion.”

The court stated, “This is the first instance where members of the National Assembly themselves breached the decision-making procedures set by the National Assembly to reconsider its errors and rebuild trust.” It pointed out that although the National Assembly passed the National Assembly Advancement Act to prevent physical confrontations during legislative sessions, the use of violence to disrupt proceedings made punishment unavoidable. Concerning the defendants, the court noted, “They seem to have committed these crimes with political intentions to draw attention to the issues and injustices surrounding the ‘controversial bills.’” This referred to their attempts to hinder the Democratic Party’s one-sided efforts. The court added, “Since the fast-track incident, several general and local elections have occurred, enabling the public to evaluate the defendants politically.” It also mentioned, “This appears to result from the failure of National Assembly members to develop a mature legislative culture that represents the diverse views of the people.” After the verdict, Na told reporters, “We have been acknowledged for taking the minimum necessary steps to prevent the Democratic Party’s unilateral actions.”

The decision was delivered six years and seven months following the conflicts between government and opposition lawmakers and party representatives during the rapid process in April 2019. Political and legal experts commented, "Although the case is complicated, it's difficult to comprehend why the trial lasted so long." The court responded, "The prosecution presented over 2,000 items of evidence and summoned more than 50 witnesses connected to this case."

This case represents the initial prosecution under the National Assembly Advancement Act, enacted in 2012 with the aim of avoiding physical confrontations during legislative sessions.