[Exclusive] Baek Hyeryun, Secretary, "The Corruption Investigation Office Chief Recommendation Committee Will Launch First Even Without United Party"

'Gongsucheo Midwife' Law Committee Ruling Party Secretary "We Cannot Just Wait"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] Baek Hye-ryun, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, "If the nomination of the candidate for the head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) by the United Future Party is not made, causing a delay in the launch of the CIO, the Candidate Recommendation Committee should be launched with only the Democratic Party's recommendations for the time being." She played a midwife role in the establishment of the CIO last year, introduced related follow-up legislation in the 21st National Assembly, and also serves as the ruling party's floor leader on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Just as the National Assembly's standing committees are operating without the United Future Party, the Candidate Recommendation Committee for the CIO head is increasingly likely to proceed with only the Democratic Party's participation.

On the 23rd, Baek said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "The launch of the CIO may be delayed due to the United Future Party's absence from the National Assembly," adding, "We cannot wait indefinitely, so we must proceed with whatever is possible even if it is only with the Democratic Party."

According to the CIO Act, the Candidate Recommendation Committee for the CIO head consists of seven members: three ex officio members including the Minister of Justice, the Chief of the Court Administration, and the President of the Korean Bar Association; two members recommended by the ruling party; and two members recommended by the opposition negotiation groups. At least six out of the seven members must agree.

Baek said, "Ideally, the ruling and opposition parties should form the recommendation committee properly, but if that does not happen, there is no legal problem in launching the committee first," adding, "We cannot just wait for the opposition to join, just as the National Assembly is operating." This means that discussions in the recommendation committee can begin even without the United Future Party.

Although President Moon Jae-in requested the National Assembly's cooperation the day before, saying, "I ask for the National Assembly's cooperation so that the CIO can be launched next month as stipulated by law," the situation with the United Future Party is not easy. In February, former United Future Party lawmaker Kang Seok-jin, and last month, lawmaker Yoo Sang-beom from the same party filed constitutional complaints against the CIO Act, and the Constitutional Court is currently reviewing them. The United Future Party is likely to wait until results such as injunction approvals come out.

Also, on the 9th, before going into seclusion, United Future Party floor leader Joo Ho-young said, "If the CIO is an organization that monitors the president's power circle, the right to recommend the CIO head should be given to the opposition party to be recognized as genuine." He believes that the rule requiring six out of seven recommendation committee members to agree will inevitably result in a pro-government figure being appointed. With no resolution in sight for the conflict over the distribution of standing committee chairmanships, discussions on the launch of the CIO are becoming even more difficult.

The operating rules for the Candidate Recommendation Committee for the CIO head, proposed by Baek, include provisions allowing the Speaker of the National Assembly to set a deadline for negotiation groups to recommend members, and if no recommendations are made by the deadline, the Speaker can designate negotiation groups to request recommendations. According to this bill alone, if the United Future Party does not make recommendations, the Democratic Party could fill the two opposition seats as well. However, since the CIO Act grants the opposition veto power, this is practically impossible. Without the cooperation of the United Future Party, the normal launch of the CIO becomes difficult.

Baek said, "It is difficult to interpret the opposition's veto power in the mother law, the CIO Act, beyond its scope," adding, "Since the National Assembly needs to be somewhat normalized to handle supplementary budgets and other matters, the Candidate Recommendation Committee for the CIO head should decide based on the situation as it progresses."

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