Ruling Party Unilaterally Passes Amendment to Public Corruption Investigation Office Act in Judiciary Committee... Opposition's Candidate for Chief, Seok Dong-hyun, Resigns

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The Democratic Party of Korea pushed through the amendment to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HCIO) Act on the 8th, despite opposition from the opposition parties, and passed it unilaterally. The opposition parties condemned the ruling party, shouting "parliamentary dictatorship," and Seok Dong-hyun, a lawyer recommended as the HCIO chief candidate from the People Power Party and a former prosecutor, withdrew his candidacy.

The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a coordination meeting on the morning of the 8th and approved the amendment to the HCIO Act by a vote of 4 to 2, which mainly nullifies the opposition's veto power over the HCIO chief. The amendment relaxes the quorum for the HCIO chief recommendation committee's resolution from 6 out of 7 members to two-thirds, effectively nullifying the opposition's veto power.

The coordination committee consisted of Baek Hye-ryun, the Democratic Party's secretary, Park Beom-gye and Kim Yong-min from the Democratic Party, Kim Do-eup and Yoo Sang-bum from the People Power Party, and Choi Kang-wook from the Open Democratic Party as a non-negotiating group member, forming a 4 to 2 ruling-opposition structure.

Seok, the HCIO chief candidate recommended by the opposition, also opposed this and announced his resignation from the candidacy. In his resignation statement on the day, Seok said, "Since the president has called 'GO' to force the amendment of the HCIO Act, it seems that the HCIO chief candidates have served their purpose, so at this point, I intend to resign as a candidate for the chief of the monster institution HCIO."

He questioned, "Could I, who was originally recommended by the opposition's recommendation committee, become the chief?" and added, "Why would I not know that the regime and the ruling party did not create the HCIO to put someone like me in the chief position?"

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