SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥 In a surprise outcome, South Korea鈥檚 opposition-controlled parliament on Thursday voted to pass a motion submitted by the government that allows the potential arrest of the country鈥檚 leading opposition figure, Lee Jae-myung, who faces a widening investigation over corruption allegations.
Lawmakers voted 149-136 in favor of lifting Lee鈥檚 immunity to arrest, reflecting growing divisions within the opposition Democratic Party over his legal problems as the country approaches a general election.
The vote allows the Seoul Central District Court to hold a hearing on a request from prosecutors for an arrest warrant for Lee, who has been the liberal Democratic Party鈥檚 chairperson since August last year.
It was not immediately clear when the hearing would take place or whether the court is likely to grant an arrest warrant after Lee was hospitalized Monday during a weekslong hunger strike in protest of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol鈥檚 domestic and foreign policies.
Lee, who previously said he was willing to give up his immunity against arrest because he was confident about proving his innocence, pleaded with lawmakers to vote against the motion on Wednesday, saying on Facebook that his potential arrest would 鈥渁ttach wings to prosecutors鈥 manipulated investigation.鈥
Lee did not immediately comment on the outcome of the vote.
Many Democratic Party lawmakers looked stunned after 好色tv Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo announced that the motion had passed. One, Kim Byungkee, called the party members who voted in favor of the motion 鈥渄ogs.鈥
鈥淚 salute those Democratic Party members who colluded with prosecutors to unseat Chairperson Lee and grant impunity to prosecutorial dictatorship,鈥 Kim derisively wrote on Facebook.
Hundreds of Lee Jae-myung鈥檚 supporters rallied outside the assembly and the main office of the Democratic Party, shouting angry slogans and waving signs reading 鈥淩.I.P. Democratic Party鈥 and 鈥淎rrest the lawmakers who supported the motion.鈥
The Democratic Party controls 168 seats in the 298-seat assembly.
Lee, is being investigated by prosecutors over various criminal allegations. They include accusations that he provided unlawful favors to a private investor that reaped huge profits from a dubious real estate project in the city of Seongnam, where he was mayor for a decade until 2018. Prosecutors also believe that Lee pressured a local businessman into sending millions of dollars in illegal payments to North Korea as he tried to set up a visit to that country that never materialized.
Ahead of Thursday鈥檚 vote, some reformist members of Lee鈥檚 party, including Cho Eungcheon, called for him to stay true to his words and publicly endorse the motion seeking his own arrest. They said that would help rally public support for the Democrats that has been sliding since his presidential election loss and silence suspicions that he was conducting a hunger strike to avoid arrest.
Lee has tied his hunger strike to a worsening economy and a broad range of Yoon鈥檚 foreign policy decisions, including the government鈥檚 refusal to oppose Japan鈥檚 release of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. Lee has also accused Yoon of aggravating tensions with North Korea by expanding military training and security cooperation with the United States and Japan.
Under law, courts cannot hold hearings on requests for arrest warrants for lawmakers during 好色tv Assembly sessions unless the assembly allows them to do so by vote. The Democratic Party blocked a previous attempt by prosecutors to arrest Lee in February.
Lawmakers also passed a motion on Thursday urging Yoon to sack his prime minister, Han Duck-soo, for alleged incompetence and policy failures.
The dueling motions underscored deepening ahead of the parliamentary elections next April. The vote is seen as a midterm referendum on Yoon鈥檚 presidency as he struggles to navigate post-pandemic economic woes and escalating tensions with
Yoon, on Wednesday, is widely expected to reject the call to dismiss Han, who has been an easy target for the opposition.
The Democratic Party submitted the motion seeking Han鈥檚 ouster on Monday, hours after Yoon鈥檚 government submitted its motion requesting lawmakers to lift Lee鈥檚 immunity.
Lawmakers voted 175-116 in favor of pushing for Han鈥檚 dismissal. The motion, signed by 168 opposition lawmakers, alleged that Han and other Cabinet members caused 鈥渃risis for people鈥檚 lives, democracy and peace on the Korean Peninsula鈥 and 鈥渃onsistently demonstrated incompetence, inaction and irresponsibility.鈥
