Arrest warrant against opposition Leader Lee Jae-myung passes the National Assembly

By Political Editor Lee Sam-sun

29 Democrats cast ye votes for the arrest of Chairman Lee Jae-myung

149 in favor, 136 against, 6 abstentions, 4 nullified

First time in the history of the Constitution that an opposition has been arrested.

Lee to be detained, resignation speculation erupts

The National Assembly voted on the bill to arrest Chairman Lee Jae-myung in a plenary session on Sept. 20, 2021. Of the 295 National Assembly members present, 149 voted in favor, 136 against, six abstained, and four were invalid. There were 29 rebel votes from the opposition, including the Democratic Party of Korea.

In the political circles in Korea, the outcome of the vote on Lee's arrest had been predicted more likely to be rejected than approved. With Lee's 22nd day of hunger strike rallying support, the Prosecution's request for an in-session arrest warrant was also seen as a "political intervention" aimed at dividing the opposition.

Nonetheless, non-Democratic lawmakers ultimately voted to rebel. Some analysts believe that Lee's direct order the day before to vote against the bill to arrest him backfired. By reversing his waiver of immunity, he is said to have destroyed his own credibility as a politician.

"There were aspects of the opposition party that made them a target for prosecutors due to their own judicial risk," said a ruling party lawmaker who did not belong to Lee’s faction. He said, "There was a clear consensus that the party should restore the basic credibility of politics, even at the cost of temporary division."