Prosecutors charge 28 National Assembly members with offenses

Today the Southern District of the Seoul Prosecutors Office charged a total of 37 persons with offenses against the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. 28 of the persons charged are elected members of National Assembly. Five members of the Democratic Party are charged with violence inflicting injury (battery). Twenty three members of the opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) are charged with various offenses contributing to violations against the proceedings of the National Assembly. The overarching violation is punishable by a fine of five million won and expulsion from the National Assembly with a ban on participation in the assembly for five years.

(Source- JTBC News, 1.2.19) "Hwang Kyo-ahn, three charges; Na Kyung-won, 5 charges...determined to be (leaders) directing at the scene."

The charged members of the LKP party are charged with various elements of the obstruction of the National Assembly. Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is not an Assembly member but the former prime minister and head of the LKP is charged with three offenses. Na Kyung won the former floor leader of the LKP in the assembly is charged with five offenses. The two of them are considered to be the organizers of the attempt last April to obstruct consideration and submission of fast track proposals to the National Assembly. This past week those proposals were passed in the National Assembly despite further efforts by the LKP party at obstruction legal and otherwise, inside the Assembly. The fast track legislation included an electoral reform law and a prosecutorial reform bill establishing a prosecution office for the investigation of crimes by public officials, among other prosecution reforms. LKP members at first physically obstructed the vote by physically assaulting the Speaker, and then filibustered and then finally boycotted the vote.

(Source- JTBC News, 1.2.19) Scene of physical confrontation in the National Assembly, April 2017.

Listed offenses of LKP members relating to the previous episodes of disorderly conduct inside the National Assembly in April 2019, include, violation of the proceedings of the National Assembly; joint detention and refusal to withdraw; special interference with government officials in the performance of duty; concealing public documents; and obstructing the Speaker of the National Assembly. Hwang is charged with special interference with the performance of duty by a public official; violation of the proceedings of the National Assembly; and obstructing the Speaker of the National Assembly. Na is charged with those same offenses and the offenses of joint detention and obstruction refusal to withdraw.

(Source- JTBC News 10.18) National Assembly Broadcast caught the fast track confrontation live on camera while it happened, April 25, 2019.


This development is likely to lead to further confrontation this weekend as massive demonstrations are planned in downtown Seoul against the incumbent administration. This is a constitutional crisis brought on by the unlawful actions of the right wing LKP party, their leaders, some of their elected members of the National Assembly and their fundamentalist, militarist and authoritarian supporters.

(Source: YTN News, 12.28) Happening again, "animal National Assembly." The speaker of the assembly's platform is occupied (by a human wall of Liberty Korea Party representatives); a physical fight is ongoing. Speaker Moon center being physically assaulted by members of the Liberty Korea Party attempting to stall the passage of the electoral reform bill. This happened last week.