South Korean MPs, Including Opposition Leader, Face Major Indictments Over Parliamentary Nonsense
Picture this: a two‑day “stand‑off” on the floor of the National Assembly, where groupers from the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) decided that perhaps the quickest way to stop a bill from sailing is to place themselves and a wall of arms in the doorway. They even held onto a fellow MP’s office for five hours, turning a routine parliamentary session into a literal tug‑of‑war. The result? Prosecutors filed criminal cases against almost thirty politicians, hands full of assault and obstruction.
What Went Down
- The LKP launched a blockade by lying on the floor and linking arms to stop the Democratic Party’s (DP) members from reaching a committee room.
- In an attempt to keep the DP from progressing a stack of “reform bills,” MPs from the governing side tried to break through the barricade, sparking scuffles that looked pit‑bull‑style.
- While the DP fought to get inside, the LKP swore that the government’s push for a “corruption watchdog” was too fast‑paced, especially given the country’s penchant for “score‑settling.”
The Legal Fallout
- Hwang Kyo‑ahn, the LKP’s fearless leader, and 23 of his MPs (including former parliamentary floor king Na Kyung‑won) have been charged with causing chaos and illegal detention.
- The DP’s five MPs are on the docket for assault accusations.
- Out of the 29 accused, prosecutors say 18 will go to trial—this includes Hwang and Na—while the rest might just get fined.
Why It Matters
With the national election scheduled in just three months, these indictments carry the weight of a guillotine. Convicts face fines of 5 million won (roughly S$5,819) or more, losing their seats and being barred from running again for five years. So, every bribery‑charged or “oversight”‑harped‑on MP might have to pack up their political life.
Political Smacking
- “The ratio of 5 to 24 is unfair and unbalanced,” the LKP blasted, a reference to the roughly one‑half versus the other half side split.
- Na—who was a judge before—deemed the indictment a “politically retaliatory” move, asserting it was a top‑down order from President Moon Jae‑in’s administration.
In classic Kore‑action style, score‑settling is a familiar tale: former presidents square‑off in prison, every score counted. For the current drama, the stakes are high and the drama is high‑octane. It’s a parliamentary movie you didn’t want to miss—except maybe if you like the clip‑board of political drama.
