Constitutional Court to Deliver Ruling on Revised Corruption Investigation Office Act Nullifying Opposition Veto Power on the 29th

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The constitutionality of the "Act on the Establishment and Operation of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office" (High-ranking Officials Crime Investigation Office Act), which nullified the opposition party's veto power, will be decided on the 29th.

The Constitutional Court will deliver its ruling on the constitutional complaint regarding the amended High-ranking Officials Crime Investigation Office Act on that day.

The Democratic Party of Korea, after failing to recommend a candidate for the head of the High-ranking Officials Crime Investigation Office last December due to opposition party resistance, passed an amendment to reduce the quorum for the seven-member candidate recommendation committee from the original 6 members to 5 members, which is two-thirds, thereby easing the approval requirements.

Through this legislative amendment, the ruling party nullified the veto power of two opposition members and unilaterally pushed forward the recommendation of the candidate for the head of the High-ranking Officials Crime Investigation Office. Conservative-leaning lawyer groups such as the "Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea" (Hanbyeon) filed a constitutional complaint, arguing that the amended law infringed upon constitutional fundamental principles such as popular sovereignty and parliamentary democracy.

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