Amendment to the Corruption Investigation Office Act Passed in National Assembly Plenary Session... People Power Party Chants "Moon Jae-in Dictator" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The amendment to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials Act (CIO) that removes the opposition party's veto power in the selection of the CIO chief passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 10th. The People Power Party expressed opposition by shouting in unison, "We condemn this." Rep. Yoo Sang-beom of the People Power Party criticized, "It will degenerate into a surveillance organization to protect the Moon Jae-in administration."

On the day, the National Assembly passed the amendment with 187 votes in favor, 99 against, and 1 abstention out of 287 members present.

As soon as the amendment passed, the People Power Party shouted slogans such as "We condemn this," "Those who rise through dictatorship fall by dictatorship," and "Moon Jae-in dictator," while Democratic Party members applauded in unison.

The People Power Party's filibuster (unlimited debate) against the CIO Act amendment automatically ended at midnight on the last day of the regular session. Accordingly, the amendment was automatically submitted to the plenary session on the same day.

The core content of the amendment is to nullify the opposition party's veto power in the CIO chief candidate recommendation committee.

Rep. Yoo previously warned about the dangers of the CIO Act amendment during his explanatory remarks. He said, "At the time, the Democratic Party pushed the CIO Act forward on the grounds of guaranteeing the opposition party's veto power," adding, "Whenever concerns were raised that the CIO would be subordinated to the ruling power, the Democratic Party insisted that if the opposition did not agree, the CIO chief recommendation would not proceed."

He pointed out, "Then floor leader Woo Won-shik said the system was designed to allow the opposition to recommend someone who definitely has veto power, and the opposition's claim that the president would appoint at will despite the opposition having veto power was nonsense," and added, "The amendment passed by the Democratic Party reduced the selection threshold from 7 members to two-thirds."

Rep. Yoo said, "If the CIO Act amendment that the Democratic Party is trying to force through passes the National Assembly plenary session, the launch of a politically neutral CIO is out of the question," and added, "As Rep. Choi Kang-wook of the Open Democratic Party said, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who investigated the living power, will become the first investigation target of the CIO."

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