Incheon City Council Re-pursues Ordinance to Halt Allowances for Arrested Members

The Incheon City Council is once again attempting to pass an ordinance that would suspend legislative activity allowances for its members if they are arrested. The proposed bill, introduced by Democratic Party council member Kim Myung-ju, is slated for discussion at the upcoming temporary assembly session.

Under the ordinance, arrested council members would not receive their activity allowances or monthly stipends. However, if a court later rules them not guilty, these payments would be retroactively reinstated. The ordinance also stipulates that members facing a suspension of attendance for up to 30 days would receive only half of their allowances and stipends for that period.

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The only provincial council in the country that pays legislative activity allowances even when council members are arrested.

The National Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission had recommended similar ordinances to local councils nationwide in December 2022. While many other provincial councils have since enacted such measures, Incheon's council failed to bring a similar bill to a vote last year. The council's steering committee had previously deferred the ordinance, citing concerns that suspending payments before a verdict was reached contradicted the rule of law. The bill automatically expired with the end of the 9th council's term.

Last year, two Incheon council members were arrested in connection with an alleged electronic whiteboard rebate scandal. In response, the Justice Party's Incheon chapter issued a statement urging the council to pass the ordinance, highlighting that Incheon is the only provincial council in the country that continues to pay allowances to arrested members. They called on the council to break its "coddling its own members" habit and ensure the ordinance's passage.

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Suspending legislative activity allowances before a verdict is reached goes against the rule of law.