"'Isn't it a Snatch?' What Do You Think About the Corruption Investigation Office Act That Nullifies the Opposition's Veto Power?"

Despite People Power Party's Opposition, Democratic Party's Swift Action
Passed Agenda Adjustment Committee, Immediately Approved by Standing Vote in Plenary Session
Joo Ho-young "This Rush Tactic Is Unacceptable" Strong Protest
Legislation and Judiciary Committee Passes Amendment to Public Officials Corruption Investigation Act... Only Plenary Session Remains

On the 8th, at the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, when Yoon Ho-jung, the chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, struck the gavel to pass the amendment to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HCIO) Act, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, and Kim Do-eup, the People Power Party's secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, protested.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The amendment to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HCIO) Act passed the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee yesterday (8th) amid opposition from the opposition parties. The Democratic Party of Korea stated its intention to pass the HCIO Act amendment in the plenary session of the National Assembly today. The opposition parties have vowed to actively block the passage of the HCIO Act amendment. Members of the People Power Party plan to counter with an unlimited debate filibuster.

On the previous day as well, the ruling and opposition parties clashed fiercely during the HCIO Act's passage through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, visited the meeting room and strongly protested, saying, "Is there nothing visible once you seize power?" and "You cannot push this through by a sudden vote like this."

On the morning of the 8th, the Democratic Party held consecutive meetings of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's agenda adjustment subcommittee and the full committee to forcibly process the HCIO Act amendment.

The amendment mainly relaxes the quorum for the HCIO chief recommendation committee's resolution from 6 out of 7 members to two-thirds, effectively nullifying the opposition party's veto power. As a result, the HCIO chief candidate can be recommended with the consent of 5 recommendation committee members, meaning that even if 2 opposition party recommendation members oppose, the candidate can still be recommended.

The amendment also includes provisions to relax the requirements for HCIO prosecutors from the current 10 years of lawyer qualification to 7 years, and if a political party fails to select recommendation committee members within ten days, the Speaker of the National Assembly will recommend academic figures or others instead.

At the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 8th, Yoon Ho-jung, the chairman of the committee (center), attempted to pass the partial amendment bill on the establishment and operation of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office, prompting strong protests from Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the People Power Party, and other members.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On that day, the People Power Party boycotted the vote and strongly protested the "bill push-through," but Yoon Ho-jung, chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the Democratic Party, skipped the debate procedure and passed the amendment by a standing vote.

When the venue could not be cleared due to protests from People Power Party members, Chairman Yoon declared, "This is not a situation to proceed with debate, so I will end the debate." He then immediately put the agenda to a vote and declared its approval.

Eleven Democratic Party members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and Choi Kang-wook of the Open Democratic Party stood to express their approval. Earlier, the agenda adjustment subcommittee passed the amendment with 4 out of 6 members in favor.

Kim Do-eup, the People Power Party's Legislation and Judiciary Committee secretary, criticized, "The Democratic Party relaxed the recommendation committee requirements to select an HCIO chief that suits their taste and create a regime's loyalist prosecution," adding, "The Democratic Party has negated the law they designed themselves." He strongly opposed, saying, "The agenda adjustment subcommittee is supposed to reconcile differences and find compromise and consensus, but is this reconciliation? This is a violent act."

Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers, including Whip Baek Hye-ryun, are standing in support during the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 8th, regarding the partial amendment bill on the establishment and operation of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Passing the HCIO Act amendment in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee without debate procedures has raised criticisms of 'legislative rampage' and 'legislative dictatorship.' Apart from the controversy surrounding the HCIO Act, there is criticism that the ruling party with a large majority pushed the bill through in a 'bulldozing' manner. Additionally, critical opinions about the content of the HCIO bill continue.

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Geum Tae-seop criticized on the 8th, "If the Democratic Party's forced HCIO Act amendment had existed during the Park Geun-hye administration, the ruling power could have appointed former Vice Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui or former Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Woo Byung-woo as HCIO chief without considering the opposition party." He urged, "Democratic Party lawmakers should please pause for a moment and think about what they are doing now," and pointed out, "Is it reasonable to cheer for prosecutorial reform after creating the 'Woo Byung-woo Act'?"

People Power Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung wrote on his Facebook on the 8th, "I am afraid of what more these people, who are rampaging relying on their 180 seats, will do in the future," and pointed out, "The opposition party's veto power over the HCIO chief was a provision the Democratic Party created themselves when they pushed through the fast-track bill at the end of last year." He continued to criticize, "Now that the opposition veto power has been removed, President Moon Jae-in can freely control and shake the HCIO."

Regarding former lawmaker Geum's view, Ha said, "Former lawmaker Geum explained well the essence of this HCIO Act amendment," emphasizing, "It is criticism that the HCIO Act has been reduced to the 'Woo Byung-woo Act,' allowing the president to appoint someone like Woo Byung-woo as HCIO chief at will. I fully agree."

On the morning of the 8th, members of the People Power Party held pickets condemning the Corruption Investigation Office Act and shouted slogans in the hallway in front of the Judiciary Committee meeting room at the National Assembly, where the Judiciary Committee's agenda adjustment subcommittee was being held. [Image source=Yonhap News]

There is also criticism that the Democratic Party's passing of the bill without debate is a form of arrogance. Choi Jang-jip, professor emeritus at Korea University, pointed out in an article titled 'Rethinking Korean Democracy' that "The current crisis of Korean democracy centers on the crisis of progressivism, represented by the elite group of the student movement generation and the so-called 'ppa' faction allied with them," and said, "Today's political crisis expresses their political failure."

He continued, "After the candlelight protests, the president and the ruling power claimed to be the vanguard of reform," and criticized, "When strong demands for reform emerged from society, instead of accepting and integrating them, they understood and responded as if they had been granted exclusive and unilateral governing authority."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party plans to attempt to pass the HCIO Act amendment and other key bills in the plenary session today. The People Power Party has announced an all-night protest and a filibuster. However, since physical obstruction has become fundamentally impossible after the introduction of the National Assembly's advanced legislative procedure law, and the Democratic Party holds an overwhelming number of seats, there is practically no way to stop them, leaving the opposition powerless.

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