They argue with Cabinet ministers, wag their fingers at them and even use off-color language. They are so powerful that they can avoid being arrested unless they are caught red-handed.

On top of that, they are empowered to reopen statewide investigations into certain cases when they deem necessary, audit state affairs, slash or increase the national budget and legislate bills.

The president or the prime minister? No, they are 300 members of the National Assembly, Korea’s unicameral legislative house.

In Korea, the four-year National Assembly membership has long been a coveted job for those who pursue power and honor.

In addition to the aforementioned authorities, lawmakers are legally given about 200 preferential treatments, ranging from free business-class tickets for air travel to hiring seven aides whose salaries are paid by state coffers.

According to a report, the nation spends around 3.4 billion won ($3.2 million) per lawmaker during his or her four-year term.

It is against this backdrop that even those who have served as Cabinet minister or prime minister, the No. 2 official after the president, go to considerable lengths to make sure their party names them as candidates for parliamentary elections.

Over time, the legislature has changed in certain respects. During the rule of military governments in the 1970s and 1980s, lawmakers were either puppets of the regime or prodemocracy fighters.

Now, they are competing with different political ideologies ― conservatism and progressivism.

But their overbearing and arrogant behavior, whether they are from the opposition or ruling party, seems to have hardly changed at all.

The recent controversy over a violent incident involving Rep. Kim Hyun shows how some lawmakers put on airs and try to look more important than the ordinary people whom they are obliged to serve.

Kim of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, according to police, wined and dined with several family members of victims of the Sewol ferry disaster on Sept. 17 in Yeouido, where the National Assembly is situated.

Reports have it that the lawmaker called a chauffeur service, but later the victims’ relatives assaulted the driver as he protested over having to wait outside for a long time.

In the scuffle, Kim allegedly talked down to him and used insulting words: “Do you know who I am? I am a member of the National Assembly.”

Although she apologized for having caused a stir, the remark clearly reflects her lack of respect for second-class citizens and her sense of entitlement ― the attitude of “how dare a person like you act like that in front of me.”

Another case that reveals the arrogant and high-handed manner in which lawmakers deal with people, particularly have-nots in our society, took place last month.

Former National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae, a 76-year-old veteran politician, made headlines for allegedly sexually assaulting a caddie during a round of golf in Gangwon Province.

What was remarkable was that Park and Rep. Kim appeared at police stations to undergo questioning over their respective cases at dawn ― an apparent tactic to avoid public scrutiny ― something unheard of for ordinary citizens who are summoned.

Lawmakers’ authoritarian and arrogant behaviors are obviously an abuse of power. Voters did not send their district representatives to the National Assembly in order for them to go around stiff-necked.

Assembly members should change their attitude. Unless they cast off their old-fashioned mindset, it will be hard to achieve genuine reform in politics.

We would like to see lawmakers talking with people like friends or colleagues, commuting by bicycle or small car, instead of expensive black sedans with chauffeurs, and remaining clean in the face of temptations and corruption.

Will there come a day when the job of National Assembly member is included, at last, on the list of most respected professions in Korea?

By Shin Yong-bae

Shin Yong-bae is the digital content editor of The Korea Herald. He can be reached at shinyb@heraldcorp.com. ― Ed.