Cho Tae-yong, Filibuster Lasting '4 Hours 47 Minutes'... "Minority Opinions Must Be Respected"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] On the 11th, Cho Tae-yong, a member of the People Power Party, took the stage as the third filibusterer (legal obstruction of parliamentary proceedings through unlimited debate) to block the amendment to the National Intelligence Service Act, delivering a 4-hour and 47-minute opposition debate.

Rep. Cho stated, "The counterintelligence investigation authority is to catch North Korean spies," and added, "However, this law is not about how to best catch North Korean spies or what the best strategy is, but about taking the National Intelligence Service's counterintelligence investigation authority outside, to the police."

Rep. Cho said, "Because of this, neither the side transferring the authority nor the side receiving it is prepared, and they have predetermined answers on how to eliminate gaps and carry out a desirable transfer," adding, "The starting point is wrong. We need to consider what method is best for catching North Korean spies."

Rep. Cho also said, "Just as respecting the majority's will is important, fully realizing democracy requires respect for the minority," and "Looking at the negotiation process between the ruling and opposition parties over the past six months, there was much respect for the majority, but little respect for minority opinions."

Earlier, the first filibusterer, Rep. Lee Cheol-gyu of the People Power Party, conducted an 8-hour and 44-minute opposition debate. The second filibusterer, Rep. Kim Byung-gi of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a 2-hour proponent debate.

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