Recommendation Committee for the Chief of the Public Corruption Investigation Office Fails to Recommend a Candidate... Time Returns to the National Assembly

No Candidates Nominated After Three Voting Rounds
Recommendation Committee Activity Effectively Ends
Democratic Party Likely to Amend Public Corruption Investigation Act to Remove Opposition Veto Rights

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HCIO) Chief Candidate Recommendation Committee failed to select the final two candidates at its third meeting held on the 18th. Since the Democratic Party had set this day as the final recommendation deadline, there is a growing expectation that they will soon attempt to amend the HCIO's enabling law to remove the opposition party's 'veto power.'

The recommendation committee held its third meeting at 2 p.m. at the National Assembly and discussed 10 preliminary candidates but failed to select the final two candidates.

The committee stated, "After discussing the procedures and methods for recommending the HCIO chief candidates, we attempted voting for candidate recommendation three times but failed to produce candidates who received the consent of six or more committee members." They added, "Two opposition party-appointed members proposed continuing the meeting, but the proposal was rejected by the committee's resolution, effectively ending the committee's activities."

Thus, the matter has returned to the National Assembly. Earlier, the Democratic Party set the 18th as the deadline for selecting the HCIO chief candidate and sent a 'final ultimatum' to the opposition party. If the opposition fails to present final candidates by this date, the Democratic Party plans to proceed with amending the HCIO enabling law to remove the opposition's veto power.

Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon also indicated the possibility of legal amendments at a Kwanhun Forum debate the previous day, saying, "I hope candidates will be presented by tomorrow (the 18th)." He added, "If that does not happen, the amendment bill for the HCIO law is already with the Legislation and Judiciary Committee."

Currently, in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, there are pending proposals: Representative Kim Yong-min's bill to change the composition of the recommendation committee from 'two members each from the ruling and opposition parties' to 'four members recommended by the National Assembly,' and Representative Baek Hye-ryun's bill that allows the Speaker of the National Assembly to recommend the HCIO chief if the negotiation groups fail to recommend members. If the recommendation committee ceases its activities, the Democratic Party plans to merge and review these amendment bills and pass them before the end of the December regular session.

In this case, opposition parties such as the People Power Party are expected to strongly oppose the move. Earlier, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, harshly criticized the Democratic Party's announcement to amend the 'HCIO law,' saying, "Where have you seen such gangster-like behavior?" He added, "When they said the HCIO is an institution that the president can control at will, how much did they emphasize that if the opposition's veto power is guaranteed, that would never happen?" He continued, "The reason they are acting so aggressively is not to investigate high-ranking officials but to pressure the prosecution that would investigate their own misconduct."

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