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October 23, 2009
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In such cases, a jail term or a fine of over 1 million won, if confirmed by the Supreme Court, results in the nullification of a lawmaker’s seat. Moon, 60, who competed against Lee Myung-bak for the presidency in 2007, was indicted for selling the Creative Korea Party’s seat under a party-list proportional representation system to Lee Han-jeong for 600 million won ($508,000) in party bonds before the general elections in April 2008. Because Moon lost his seat, there are only two proportional representative lawmakers - Lee Young-kyung and Yoo Won-il - in the Creative Korea Party. Party leaders had a contingency meeting yesterday to discuss who will lead the party. Kim Seok-su, the party’s spokesman, said: “The party cannot accept the ruling. We will ask for a retrial.” The Liberty Forward Party, which formed a negotiating bloc in the National Assembly with the Creative Korea Party, expressed disappointment as the party has to secure two more lawmakers to regain negotiating bloc status. The party lost that status last month when Sim Dae-pyung, former chairman of the Liberty Forward party, defected. Moon resigned as CEO of paper and staple product maker Yuhan-Kimberly in 2007 to run for president, but managed to win only 5.8 percent of the vote, finishing fourth. He was elected to the National Assembly in April 2008. By Kim Seung-hyun [enational@joongang.co.kr] |
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