Lee Heon, Candidate for Head of the Corruption Investigation Office, Recommender Committee Member: "If Legislation to Remove Opposition Veto Power is Enforced, Considering Drastic Measures Including Resignation"

Attorney Lee Heon, an opposition party recommended member of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) Chief Candidate Recommendation Committee, is attending the 3rd meeting of the CIO Chief Candidate Recommendation Committee held at the National Assembly on the 18th of last month. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Lawyer Lee Heon, a nominee recommended by the opposition party to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (PCC), criticized the ruling party's attempt to amend the PCC Act to eliminate the opposition's veto power as "legislative dictatorship," stating that "all extraordinary measures, including resignation or legal action, will be considered."

On the 9th, Lawyer Lee stated, "Opposition-recommended members demanded thorough verification of political neutrality, independence in duty, and morality during the 2nd and 3rd meetings held for recommending candidates for the PCC chief, reflecting the public's opposition and concerns about the PCC, and other recommending members agreed with this."

He continued, "At the 4th meeting, opposition members excluded pro-government figures and, besides experience and ability in investigative command, emphasized the lack of institutional management experience of non-prosecutor candidates. The ex officio recommending members in neutral positions supported two prosecutor candidates and opposed non-prosecutor candidates," describing the situation at the time.

He said, "Opposition-recommended members did not exercise unconditional or unreasonable veto power; rather, the ruling party side exercised unreasonable veto power by first supporting and then opposing prosecutor candidates. Therefore, the legislative amendment to the PCC Act citing the opposition's veto power as a reason lacks procedural fairness and legitimacy and is fundamentally invalid in content."

At the last 4th meeting held on the 25th of last month, opposition-recommended members proactively changed their previous opposition stance and voted in favor of candidates recommended by recommending members in neutral positions. However, since ruling party members reversed their prior support for those candidates, the final candidate selection failed. Thus, the claim that the meeting was deadlocked due to unconditional opposition by opposition members, necessitating legal amendment, is interpreted as misleading the essence of the situation.

Lawyer Lee stated, "The ruling party, following the president's directive, is pushing forward legislative dictatorship by stripping opposition-recommended members of their veto power. If legislation removing the opposition's veto power, which is the minimum system guaranteeing the PCC's political neutrality, is enacted, opposition members will consider all extraordinary measures, including resignation and legal action."

The ruling party, the Democratic Party of Korea, passed the amendment to the PCC Act in succession at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee's agenda adjustment subcommittee and plenary session the day before, easing the quorum for the PCC chief candidate recommendation committee from six members to two-thirds of all members, effectively nullifying the opposition's veto power, excluding the main opposition party, the People Power Party.

The amended bill also includes provisions for the Speaker of the National Assembly to appoint members if a negotiation group fails to recommend members within a certain period and relaxes the qualification requirements for PCC prosecutors.

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