Democratic Party Proposes Successive Amendments to the Corruption Investigation Office Act... Judiciary Committee Whip Says "People Power's Tyranny, Legislative Response"

Baek Hye-ryun, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving a proposal explanation on the partial amendment bill of the Housing Lease Protection Act and others at the National Assembly plenary session on the 30th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] Democratic Party lawmakers are consecutively proposing amendments to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HCIO) Act that would allow the selection of the HCIO chief without the People Power Party's recommendation. This demonstrates their determination to break through by changing the law without waiting for further cooperation.

On the 14th, Baek Hye-ryun, the ruling party's floor whip on the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, proposed an amendment to the HCIO Act that requires the Speaker of the National Assembly to set a deadline of within 10 days for each negotiation group to recommend members. If recommendations are not made within the deadline, the amendment allows appointing or commissioning the President of the Korean Association of Law Professors and the Chairperson of the Council of Law Schools, who are ex officio members of the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee under the Court Organization Act, as HCIO chief candidate recommendation committee members.

The amendment also includes provisions to complete the candidate recommendation vote within 30 days of convening the committee and allows a one-time extension of up to 10 days if the committee agrees.

Rep. Baek stated, "Nearly two months have passed since the law came into effect, but the HCIO has not been launched. This is because the People Power Party, which holds the authority to recommend two HCIO chief candidate recommendation committee members, is refusing to do so." She added, "The neglect of candidate recommendation (failing to fulfill responsibilities without reason beyond the deadline) signifies a loss of qualification as a political party, and we will respond to such parliamentary tyranny and dereliction of duty with legitimate legislative authority."

Earlier, on the 8th, Democratic Party lawmaker Park Beom-gye proposed a similar amendment to the HCIO Act. It also includes appointing or commissioning the President of the Korean Association of Law Professors and the Chairperson of the Council of Law Schools as HCIO chief candidate recommendation committee members if the opposition negotiation groups do not respond. Rep. Park criticized, "The People Power Party has declared abandonment of their right to recommend and veto regarding the establishment of the HCIO."

Recently, the Democratic Party proposed simultaneous discussions on the HCIO and the Special Inspector to the People Power Party, but the People Power Party rejected this, insisting that the Special Inspector candidate recommendation should come first. Since the People Power Party maintains the position that the HCIO Act may be unconstitutional, friction with the Democratic Party, which is pushing for legal amendments, is inevitably escalating.

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