SUSPECTED LAWMAKERS REFUSE TO LEAVE PARTY

[Anchor Lead]

Some Democratic Party lawmakers suspected of real estate speculations refused the leadership’s order to leave the party on their own, throwing the whole party into turmoil yesterday. The largest opposition party asked the Board of Audit and Inspection to look into the real estate transactions of its members despite the controversy surrounding the audit agency’s investigative authority.

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Some Democratic Party members refused to leave the party despite the leadership's plea to think of the party first.

[Soundbite] Kim Hoi-jae(Democratic Party Representative) : "I repeatedly urge the Commission's immediate withdrawal of the investigation request and a sincere apology."

[Soundbite] Oh Young-hun(Democratic Party Representative) : "I want an investigation to start promptly and reveal the truth."

Representative Kim Han-jung cried foul when the leaders said the members who refuse to leave the party could be disciplined. Representative Woo Sang-ho, who had previously never failed to attend the memorial service for Lee Han-yeol, didn’t show up at the ceremony. The late Lee Han-yeol was a Yonsei University student who died while protesting for democracy. As confusion raged on, Democratic Pary leader Song Young-gil referred to Representative Woo's case to explain the limitations of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission’s investigation.

[Soundbite] Song Young-gil(Democratic Party Leader) : "It broke my heart to tell them to “clear their names before returning to the party” at the Commission’s insufficient investigation."

The general consensus within the Democratic Party is that the leaders would persuade individual lawmakers. Now the attention is directed toward the People Power Party. Gyeonggi-do Governor Lee Jae-myung, former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, and Representative Park Yong-jin and other Democratic Party presidential candidates criticized the main opposition party’s probe request to the Board of Audit and Inspection. Despite the controversy over the National Assembly’s public officials being outside of BAI’s investigative authority the People Power Party asked the audit agency to investigate its members for real estate speculation. The PPP countered that it doesn’t matter who conducts the investigation as long as it remains fair and professional.

[Soundbite] Choo Kyung-ho(People Power Party Chief Deputy Floor Leader) : "Irregardless of legal disputes, we’re asking BAI to use its expertise to investigate our members thoroughly."

The audit agency simply said that it will review the regulations and make its decision shortly. Meanwhile, five other non-negotiating groups, including the Justice Party, the People’s Party, and the Open Democratic Party, made a request to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission to look into all of their members’ real estate transactions.