Former UPP lawmakers to apply for retrial

Former leftist lawmakers said Monday that they will request the Constitutional Court to review its decision to dissolve their political party embroiled in a pro-North Korean plot, arguing that the decision was “wrong.”

In December, the Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the minor opposition Unified Progressive Party, leading to the party’s immediate demise. All five sitting lawmakers of the party also lost their parliamentary seats.

The ruling came after the justice ministry filed a petition with the court following the arrest of a number of UPP members, including Lee Seok-ki, on rebellion conspiracy charges for plotting to overthrow the government in the event of a war with the communist North.

In January, however, the Supreme Court acquitted the 53-year-old Lee of charges that he had conspired to plot the rebellion, and only found him guilty of instigating the members to stage the rebellion.

“We will refile a petition with the Constitutional Court since the Supreme Court upheld an acquittal of conspiracy charges,” said Lee Jung-hee, a former UPP chief, at a press conference held in front of the Constitutional Court in central Seoul.

Lee further argued that the Constitutional Court delivered the wrong decision, urging sitting justices to amend its “mistake.”

The former UPP lawmakers did not clarify when they will file for the retrial.

No political party had been outlawed by a court decision in the nation’s modern history. (Yonhap)