Police cleared People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won of allegations that she sought to have the prosecution withdrawn in the National Assembly fast-track clash case.
According to police on the 6th, Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul said on the 3rd it decided not to refer Na, who had been accused of violating the anti-graft law and obstructing official duties.
The case surfaced in Jul. 2024 when former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon said that when he was Minister of the Ministry of Justice, he received a withdrawal of the fast-track prosecution at the request of Na during a party leadership primary debate.
At the time, Na explained it was not an illicit solicitation for personal gain but an attempt to correct an anti-constitutional indictment, but the Democratic Party of Korea filed a complaint against Na for violating the anti-graft law and obstructing official duties.
Police said there is no provision to punish a solicitation without consideration, and no indication was found that consideration was offered during the solicitation process, so the charges do not stand. However, they viewed the act of solicitation itself as subject to fines and notified the National Assembly speaker of the matter.
They also determined the charge of obstructing official duties did not stand because there was no assault or intimidation.
The National Assembly fast-track incident refers to a physical clash in Apr. 2019 when the ruling and opposition parties confronted each other over bills to establish the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.
At the time, 27 lawmakers and aides from the Liberty Korea Party (predecessor to the People Power Party), including Na, were indicted. Na, who was the floor leader, was sentenced in the first trial in Nov. last year to a fine of 24 million won and has appealed.