Democratic Party Rep. Jeong Jeong-soon (Photo: Yonhap News)
A ruling party lawmaker, under investigation for alleged campaign accounting fraud ahead of the legislative elections in April, has lost his immunity from prosecution.
The National Assembly passed on Thursday a motion to allow the arrest of Democratic Party Representative Jeong Jeong-soon.
Lawmakers voted 167-12, with three abstentions and four invalid votes.
Members of the main opposition People Power Party, which makes up 34 percent of parliament, boycotted the vote.
Prosecutors sought the arrest of Jeong, a former administrator-turned-lawmaker based in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, after he repeatedly ignored requests to appear for questioning since August.
Unless caught red-handed, South Korean lawmakers cannot be arrested or detained while parliament is in session without parliamentary consent.
A court can approve an arrest only if parliament agrees to it.
Earlier this month, prosecutors indicted 27 sitting lawmakers on charges of violating the public election law while campaigning.
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