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야권이 일제히 이석기 통합진보당 의원의 의원직 사퇴와 출당을 요구했다. 정의당에서는 자수를 권하기도 했다.
민주당 민병두 전략홍보본부장은 3일 내란음모혐의를 받고 있는 이석기 의원의 의원직 사퇴와 함께 통진당 자체 진상규명위원회 설치를 촉구했다.
민 본부장은 이날 YTN 라디오에 출연, “통진당은 경기동부연합과 정체성을 같이했는지 여부에 대해 국민 앞에 소명해야 한다. 이를 밝히지 않고 (민주당에) 보호해달라고 하는 것은 이치에 맞지 않는다”며 이같이 밝혔다.
그는 또한 이 의원과 경기동부연합에 대해 “고립된 친북주의자들의 피해망상과 영웅심이 결합돼 굉장히 이질적이고 광신교적 분위기를 스스로 만들어내고 용납될 수 없는 행동을 한 것”이라며 “이 의원은 스스로 국회의원을 그만둬야 한다”고 강조했다.
박지원 전 민주당 원내대표도 “통진당은 이런 문제가 있다고 한다면 출당 조치를 하든지 이 의원 스스로 탈당을 하든지 해야 한다”고 말했다. 박 전 원내대표는 이날 PBC라디오에 출연 “현재 국정원에 알려진 바로는 10여명 이상이 구속되거나 구속될 위험에 처해있는데 그런 제명 조치를 함으로써 오히려 국민에게 진보정당으로 존중을 받는다”고 밝혔다. 또 국회 체포동의안 처리 문제와 관련, “빨리 처리해서 사법부의 판단을 빨리 받는 것이 바람직하다”고 말했다.
심상정 정의당 원내대표는 이석기 의원에 대해 “불체포특권에 연연하지 말고 스스로 수사기관을 찾아 수사를 청하는 것이 도리”라고 밝혔다. 심 원내대표는 이날 국회 본관에서 열린 의원총회에서 “국회의원의 불체포특권은 민주정치체제에서 봉사하고 공익적 활동에 헌신하는 범위 내에서 부당한 권력으로부터 보호하는 것이 그 취지인데, 지금까지 드러난 이 의원의 시대착오적이고 위험한, 충격적인 언행은 국회의원으로서 용인되기 어려운 것”이라고 지적했다. 정의당은 이날 오후 시도당위원장 연석회의를 열어 이 의원 체포동의안 처리에 대한 당론을 정할 예정이다. (이정아 기자)
<관련 영문 기사>
PJP leader urges Lee apologize for armed revolt allegations
Sim Sang-jeung, chairperson of the Progressive Justice Party and a prominent opposition figure, urged Rep. Lee Seok-ki to apologize to the people of South Korea over accusations of plotting to overthrow the government.
“As a member of a political party, he (Lee) needs to sincerely apologize to the shocked people for bringing about such an incident,” Sim said in an interview on a KBS radio show. “Apart from the legal judgment on the plot for armed revolt, Lee’s words and actions were anachronistic to the extent that were unacceptable for a lawmaker.”
Lee is suspected of having worked with other UPP members to form a secret organization called “Revolutionary Organization,” through which they allegedly conspired to subvert the Seoul government. Last week, the National Intelligence Service announced that it had a recording of the lawmaker planning such scheme.
The UPP denied the charges, accusing the spy agency of trying to divert public attention from its alleged meddling in December’s presidential election.
Sim urged Lee, of her former ally the UPP, to comply with the investigation.
She said the NIS was an organization with “the original sin,” in connection with its alleged meddling in elections, and asked the spy agency to hand over the case to the prosecution.
Other opposition figures have also distanced themselves from the scandal-ridden UPP and Lee. The main opposition Democratic Party leader Kim Han-gil implied on Monday that his party intended to pass the motion calling for Lee’s arrest.
“The DP must resist any forces that deny the values democracy and South Korea, whoever that opponent may be. Korea will be able to move forward to a proper future only when ties with such people are severed,” Kim said.
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)
PJP leader urges Lee apologize for armed revolt allegations
Sim Sang-jeung, chairperson of the Progressive Justice Party and a prominent opposition figure, urged Rep. Lee Seok-ki to apologize to the people of South Korea over accusations of plotting to overthrow the government.
“As a member of a political party, he (Lee) needs to sincerely apologize to the shocked people for bringing about such an incident,” Sim said in an interview on a KBS radio show. “Apart from the legal judgment on the plot for armed revolt, Lee’s words and actions were anachronistic to the extent that were unacceptable for a lawmaker.”
Lee is suspected of having worked with other UPP members to form a secret organization called “Revolutionary Organization,” through which they allegedly conspired to subvert the Seoul government. Last week, the National Intelligence Service announced that it had a recording of the lawmaker planning such scheme.
The UPP denied the charges, accusing the spy agency of trying to divert public attention from its alleged meddling in December’s presidential election.
Sim urged Lee, of her former ally the UPP, to comply with the investigation.
She said the NIS was an organization with “the original sin,” in connection with its alleged meddling in elections, and asked the spy agency to hand over the case to the prosecution.
Other opposition figures have also distanced themselves from the scandal-ridden UPP and Lee. The main opposition Democratic Party leader Kim Han-gil implied on Monday that his party intended to pass the motion calling for Lee’s arrest.
“The DP must resist any forces that deny the values democracy and South Korea, whoever that opponent may be. Korea will be able to move forward to a proper future only when ties with such people are severed,” Kim said.
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)
