The 13th Plenary Session Focused on Police-Prosecutor Investigation Authority and Kindergarten 3 Laws... Will Ruling and Opposition Parties Find Common Ground?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Contentious issues such as the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police (Criminal Procedure Act and Prosecutors' Office Act), the Kindergarten 3 Acts (Early Childhood Education Act, Private School Act, School Meals Act), and the consent motion for the appointment of Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun are expected to be concentrated in the plenary session on the 13th. Although the ruling and opposition parties plan to negotiate for four days to handle these issues, it is uncertain whether a smooth agreement will be reached as the confrontation over prosecution personnel appointments has intensified again.

The National Assembly held a plenary session on the 9th and processed 198 livelihood bills including the Data 3 Acts and Pension 3 Acts. The adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police (amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act), which was the biggest contentious bill amid the absence of the Liberty Korea Party, was also submitted, but the '4+1' negotiation group (Democratic Party of Korea, Bareunmirae Party, Justice Party, Party for Democracy and Peace + Alternative Party) decided to postpone the vote until the 13th.

This adhered to the initial agreement with the Liberty Korea Party to handle only 'livelihood bills' on that day, leaving room for negotiation. Also, given the increasing noise over prosecution personnel appointments, it seems there was a judgment that there was no need to provoke the Liberty Korea Party by breaking promises. The Liberty Korea Party also did not proceed with the filibuster (legal obstruction of parliamentary proceedings through unlimited debate) that it had attached to the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Democratic Party also plans to submit the Kindergarten 3 Acts and the consent motion for the appointment of Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, other fast-track bills, to the plenary session on the 13th for a vote. Major pending issues including the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police will all be concentrated in the plenary session on the 13th. Accordingly, the ruling and opposition parties are expected to continue negotiations over the next four days, including the weekend, on whether to handle these matters.

Kim Jae-won, the policy chief of the Liberty Korea Party, told reporters regarding the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police, "There is a rough agreement to try negotiations until before the vote," and added, "Whether differences can be narrowed will depend on how much the consultations progress."

However, there are also forecasts that smooth negotiations will be difficult amid the escalating confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties over Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's recent prosecution personnel appointments.

Shim Jae-chul, floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party, criticized on the 10th regarding Minister Choo's prosecution personnel appointments, saying, "The Yoon Seok-yeol prosecution massacre planned by President Moon Jae-in and executed by Minister Choo is more serious than the ambitions of the Chun Doo-hwan government," and added, "The reckless act of exposing the core of the prosecution entirely by power did not even happen during the Chun Doo-hwan era."

On the same day, the Liberty Korea Party held a rally in front of the Blue House to condemn Minister Choo's personnel appointments and also decided to file an impeachment motion against Minister Choo.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.