Jeong Jeong-soon, who is calm in the face of the arrest motion and with a democratic outburst, “If you do not respond to the investigation of the prosecution …”

Democratic Party lawmaker Jeong Jeong soon attended the state administration audit without appearing in the prosecution on the 15th day of the statute of limitations of the Election of Public Office Law. The party said: “It is irrational for the prosecution to issue an arrest motion during national detention.” Reporter Oh Jong-taek

“In addition, the Democratic Party held the Supreme Council today and decided that Representative Jeong Jeong-soon would respond faithfully to the prosecution’s investigation. If Chung does not comply with the decisions and instructions of the party leadership, it was decided to order an ex officio investigation to the ethics inspection team.



On the morning of the 23rd, the chief spokesman for the Democratic Party, Choi In-ho, read aloud at a press conference in the National Assembly. The interview resulted in several words in reverse. It is unusual for a political party to openly ask its legislators to “submit to the prosecution’s investigation,” but it is not common to disclose follow-up measures together if the order is not approved. This is the reason for the assessment that “leadership struggles are revealed on the line” (Democratic Party official).

Representative Chung was put on the prosecution network for committing accounting fraud during the 4-15 general election campaign. It was the beginning of Chung’s accounting manager’s report by submitting accounting data for the 2018 Cheongju mayor and this year’s general election to the prosecution. On the 28th of last month, when Chung did not respond to the prosecution’s request for a subpoena, the prosecution filed a motion to arrest him on charges of violating the Political Fund Law on the 28th of last month. The charges against the violation of the electoral law were processed on the expiration date of the statute of limitations. The consent of the National Assembly is required to arrest and detain active duty legislators who have the privilege of arresting during the ordinary assembly.


It is the Democrats who have been embarrassed. First, he said, “We will handle it strictly in accordance with the National Assembly Law” (on the 13th, Kim Tae-nyeon, the Speaker of the House), but it is onerous to see a vote on an arrest motion against a member of the Democratic Party in a plenary session of the National Assembly. A key member of the Democratic Party said: “It is not possible to have a ‘bulletproof parliament’, but it is very difficult to give it to them saying ‘take it'”.

The biggest concern of the Democratic Party is the attitude of Congressman Chung. Last month, the leadership announced the intention to “appear for the impeachment” through a member of the Chungbuk district, but only the Chung member’s response was that “I will do it myself.” Representative Chung is no different than usual, like attending a meeting of local politicians recently. One participant said: “All participants stick out their tongues at his gentle appearance.”

Among Democrats, some say that “the way to deal with judicial investigations is not common.” Re-elected legislators in Chungcheong said: “It is ritual to sue for violations of the electoral law. “Is there an answer for not going?” Another legislator said, “I heard the relationship broke down because I didn’t give the account manager the place I promised” and said, “I should have persuaded him well.”

Chungju district (equivalent to Cheongju) has a strong conservative tax. In the 19th and 20th generation, Jung Woo-taek was a former member of the People’s Power. Regarding Congressman Chung, he said: “It must have been pointed out that he was a bureaucrat. The photo shows Democratic Party representative Lee Nak-yeon, Kim Tae-yeon, hospital representative, and Chung (second from left) who participated in the Chungbuk flood recovery site in August. [연합뉴스]

There is also a sympathetic theory of “investigation directed at the legislator of the ruling party” (a watchdog), considering that Chung Hee-do, who investigates legislator Chung, has criticized the current regime several times by the chief prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor’s Office from Cheongju District. However, a member of the Democratic Party from the Chungcheong region said: “It is true that the accusation is harsh, but is it also true that Congressman Chung responded without experience?”

Congressman Chung’s political background is also drawing attention. Representative Jung, a native of Neulgong, served as director of Chungcheongbuk-do Economic and Trade Bureau from 2006 to 2010, when former legislator Jung Woo-taek, who was a member of the People’s Power, served as Chungbuk branch. In the 2010 local elections, he spearheaded the electoral promise ‘Osong Development Plan’. Because of that history, when Chung joined the Democratic Party in 2017, it was even said that “a person from the Conservative Party passed away.”

Representative Jeong-soon Jung served as a seventh-level civil servant, then as a director of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, then as a deputy governor of the Chungbuk administration. In the region, it is an assessment that is a well-positioned person. The photo shows former President Lee Myung-bak awarding a medal to Chung (then head of the Chungbuk Economic and Commercial Bureau), who was the winner of the ‘Grand Service Award’ awarded to civil servants for solving corporate difficulties. [ 청와대사진기자단 ]

At the time he ran for the general election on April 15, rumors circulated within the party that “President Young-min Roh, head of the president’s secretary, is his ‘back’.” Representative Chung and Chief Roh are the students from Cheongju’s 49th class. However, one of the officials said: “I checked, it was not a close relationship with Chief Roh.”

Chief spokesperson Choi met with reporters on this day. “If member Jung does not follow the instructions before the plenary session on the 28th, there will be a party decision.”He said. When asked if that meant he would expel Jung and file a motion for arrest in an independent state, he replied, “I will go through that procedure.” In fact, you only have five days of time. The JoongAng Ilbo tried several times to hear Congressman Chung’s position, but could not establish contact.

Reporter Kim Hyo-seong [email protected]