Debate on Amendments to the Corruption Investigation Office Act in the Plenary Session... Ruling Party "Will Push Within the Year" vs Opposition "Total Blockade"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Hyemin and Jeon Jinyoung] As the recommendation for the head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (HCIC) failed, the ruling and opposition parties continued their heated debate in the National Assembly plenary session on the 19th. The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) expressed a strong stance to push for legal amendments to launch the HCIC within the year, while the People Power Party (PPP) strongly opposed it, using the term "total blockade."

Yoo Seungbeom, a PPP member of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, took the floor for a free speech during the plenary session in the afternoon and sharply criticized, "The DPK has ultimately embarked on a forced process to appoint a person who suits their taste as the head of the HCIC."

Yoo stated, "The HCIC candidate recommendation committee conducted verification only twice for the 10 preliminary candidates, and just as the opposition exercised veto power, the ruling party and government-appointed members also exercised veto power against all opposition-recommended candidates," adding, "If there was no qualified candidate in the first recommendation, it was only natural to conduct additional recommendations and verifications."

He continued, "When the HCIC Act was forcibly passed in December last year, public concerns about political neutrality and independence grew. At that time, many DPK lawmakers, including then-leader Lee Hae-chan, assured the public that the opposition's veto power was firmly recognized," and raised his voice, "The only justification the DPK presented when rushing the bill was this, so was the DPK's promise a year ago just to deceive the public?"

Yoo emphasized, "The opposition's veto power is the last bastion to guarantee the HCIC's political neutrality and independence," and warned, "If the legal amendment that even takes this away is pushed through, the HCIC will be abused as a tool of the ruling power." He added, "Please judge the arrogance and self-righteousness of the Moon Jae-in administration, which has abandoned its promises to the people like a discarded object and is running wild like a runaway train," and said, "We have nothing but the determination to totally block it."

In response, Park Chandae of the DPK retorted, "We waited while persuading the PPP throughout this year, but the PPP only clung to a strategy to derail the HCIC with consistent delay tactics."

Park said, "The DPK believed in the PPP's faint conscience and goodwill and made concessions, but what we got in return was only the one-sided abuse of the system," and sharply criticized, "The hearts of the people waiting for the HCIC's launch are as fleeting as a mayfly, but the PPP is looking away and only staring at a broken clock."

He added, "Only one month remains this year. We must no longer neglect the illegal status of the HCIC Act, whose enforcement date has already passed," and warned, "If the PPP intends to delay and prevent the HCIC's launch, they should give up now." He emphasized, "The HCIC head must be selected and the unit must be properly launched before the enforcement of the revised police and prosecution investigation authority decree in January next year."

Park argued, "The guilty verdicts of former President Lee Myung-bak and former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui, the not guilty verdict in the Yoo Woosung spy fabrication case, and the protective investigations for insiders clearly show how selectively the prosecution has handled the truth and how selectively justice has been administered," and insisted, "We must keep the promise to the people for prosecution reform." He reiterated his intention to amend the law, saying, "If realizing the original HCIC Act is impossible, an alternative must be found quickly and proceeded with promptly."

Park Byeongseok, Speaker of the National Assembly, urged again for bipartisan agreement, saying, "Even now, I ask the leadership of both parties to seriously reach a conclusion that meets the people's wishes."

Park expressed regret, saying, "When the HCIC candidate recommendation committee was launched, I mentioned the spirit of the multi-headed bird 'Gongmyeongjijo.' I hoped that a candidate for the HCIC head would be recommended excluding all political opinions and responding to the people's wishes."

Before the plenary session began that day, Speaker Park met separately with the floor leaders of both parties to discuss current issues. On the 23rd, he plans to meet with both floor leaders together to mediate.

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