South Korean lawmakers pass motion to arrest opposition leader

ANKARA

In a surprise move, South Korea’s parliament on Thursday passed a motion seeking parliamentary consent to arrest opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on alleged corruption charges.

Out of the total votes cast, 149 were in favor of the motion, 136 opposed it, while there were six abstentions and four invalid votes, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.

"We are very surprised and in shock. The leadership had requested members to vote against the motion, but we feel regretful the results came otherwise," the agency quoted opposition Democratic Party (DP) spokesperson Rep. Lee So-young as saying.

"I think the leadership needs to gather immediately and discuss this matter," the spokesperson said.

The DP enjoys a majority in the National Assembly with 168 out of 298 lawmakers.

A day earlier the opposition leader appealed to lawmakers to reject the motion.

On Monday, prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Lee from a local court, shortly after he was taken to a hospital with deteriorating health on day 19 of a hunger strike protesting the Yoon government.

The court delivered the request to the government as parliament is required to waive Lee’s immunity from arrest.

On Tuesday, President Yoon Suk-yeol signed a motion requesting parliamentary consent to arrest Lee.

Lee has been accused of breach of trust and corruption charges and his alleged involvement in a company's illegal cash remittance to North Korea.

Earlier on Thursday parliament also passed a motion calling for the dismissal of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, citing alleged incompetence, local media said.

The motion was passed by a vote of 175-116, while four lawmakers abstained, according to the agency.

However, it is expected that President Yoon Suk-yeol will reject parliament’s call to dismiss the premier.

In its motion, the Opposition Democratic Party (DP) said Han is responsible for what it called the Yoon administration's policy failures, including the response to Japan's recent release of radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant and the mismanagement of last month's World Scout Jamboree, according to reports.

The ruling People Power Party pushed back at the claim and accused the opposition of trying to blunt the impact of bad news about Lee Jae-myung, their leader.

On Monday, the DP, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, submitted the motion recommending Han's dismissal, hours after prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for opposition leader party leader Lee over corruption allegations.

Over the last year, the opposition passed two dismissal motions, one against Foreign Minister Park Jin and another against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min. Both were rejected by the president.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid