[Editorial] Lawmakers’ extra income

The 19th National Assembly started its term in office on May 30. But it has yet to hold an opening session, with the rival parties bickering over who will head each of the 18 committees.

No one knows when the legislature will start its normal operations. The standoff may last more than a month, if past experience is any indication.

Still, each lawmaker will be given, without interruption, a monthly payment of 12.24 million won and access to 200 perks ― ranging from free rides on state-owned means of transportation to free haircuts and baths in the National Assembly facilities.

No less ludicrous than free haircuts and baths is the pension system. A former lawmaker aged 65 or older is paid 1.2 million won each month, no matter how long he worked as a legislator. He is entitled to the pension payment even if he resigned on the day he started work.

According to one estimate, the nation spends about 600 million won per lawmaker each year. The amount includes all types of allowances and subsidies, monthly payments for his aides and other expenses. He is given non-pecuniary privileges as well.

On top of that is extra income taken by many of the lawmakers that are licensed as attorneys-at-law, medical doctors, pharmacists or patent lawyers. According to a report, more than 40 percent of the members of the previous National Assembly, or 127 lawmakers to be exact, had such sources of extra income.

The issue of extra income came to the fore when it was disclosed that a lawmaker affiliated with the ruling Saenuri Party doubles as an outside board member of a financial corporation. He is reportedly paid 4 million won each month and an undisclosed amount of money each time he participates in a board conference.

But there is no proper regulation banning lawmakers from pursuing individual gains, potentially at the expense of public interests. True, the law on the operations of the legislature prohibits a committee member from seeking his own benefits when they are related to committee activities. But the law is far from an effective tool against private gains.

It is past time for the National Assembly to establish new, stricter rules on extra income for its members, ranging from payments from their extra jobs to perks, gifts and honoraria they take.