The Never-Ending Daejang-dong... A Strong vs. Strong Clash Without a Honeymoon?

Yun Hojung "Discussing Special Prosecutor Within Democratic Party"
Kim Kihyun "Ruling Party Lacks Sincerity"
Both Sides Parallel as in Pre-Election
Risk of 'Retaliation and Protection Frame'
Political Disputes May Fade Away

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Koo Chae-eun and Park Joon-yi] Since President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol officially announced the push for a special prosecutor investigation into the Daejang-dong scandal, tensions between the ruling and opposition parties over the passage of the special prosecutor law in the March extraordinary session of the National Assembly are heating up. Yoon Ho-jung, the emergency committee chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), stated that "discussions can be centered around the Democratic Party's proposal," targeting the "Busan Savings Bank allegations," while the People Power Party (PPP) focused on the development approval process during former Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung's tenure as mayor of Seongnam. The significant differences in the scope and targets of the investigation make negotiations difficult, signaling a challenging path ahead.

On the 14th, Yoon, in his first official emergency committee schedule, visited the National Cemetery and told reporters, "The special prosecutor proposal we put forward is already a neutral one," adding, "We will consider the opposition's claims, but discussions will likely be centered on our (Democratic Party's) proposal. The Legislation and Judiciary Committee needs to examine it more carefully." This was a follow-up to President-elect Yoon's statement at a press conference the previous day regarding the Daejang-dong special prosecutor, where he said, "Any measures necessary to thoroughly investigate corruption must be taken."

On the 11th, at the Rotunda Hall entrance of the National Assembly plenary session hall, members of the People Power Party are holding placards demanding a special prosecution for Daejang-dong and shouting slogans. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

On the 10th, in front of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting room, members of the People Power Party held an emergency party meeting urging the acceptance of a special prosecutor investigation into the Daejang-dong preferential treatment allegations. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

On the other hand, Kim Ki-hyun, the floor leader of the People Power Party, drew a clear line during the Supreme Council meeting, saying, "The Democratic Party's proposal was suddenly submitted during the election and lacks sincerity, as it was intended to be used for election purposes." He added, "We were the first to propose (the PPP's special prosecutor bill) and attempted to bring it to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, but it was ultimately blocked by the Democratic Party," emphasizing, "We firmly believe that truth must be uncovered according to the principles of the rule of law."

The special prosecutor bills proposed by both sides differ significantly in their investigation scope and targets. The Democratic Party's bill, submitted on the 3rd, centers on allegations of illegal activities during the loan process of Busan Savings Bank and suspicions that the family of candidate Yoon and individuals related to Daejang-dong received preferential treatment through real estate transactions. This directly targets President-elect Yoon. Conversely, the People Power Party's bill, proposed in September last year, focuses on the approval process of the Daejang-dong development during former Mayor Lee's tenure in Seongnam.

Because of this, there is a strong view behind the scenes that the Daejang-dong special prosecutor law itself could fizzle out as a political attack. A Democratic Party floor official said, "If the special prosecutor is pushed targeting the president-elect right after the presidential election, it could backfire with public opinion. The opposition also lacks the number of seats to enforce the special prosecutor bill, so progress is expected to be slow."

In fact, if the ruling and opposition parties agree on a permanent special prosecutor law during the March extraordinary session, considering the preparation period such as appointing the special prosecutor (about two weeks) and forming the investigation team (about 20 days), investigations would realistically begin no earlier than late April. The special prosecutor's investigation period is basically 60 days, with an additional 30 days possible upon presidential approval, so the investigation results are expected around June to July, after the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. A People Power Party floor official also told this outlet, "If either the Democratic Party or the People Power Party pushes for the Daejang-dong special prosecutor, they could fall into 'retaliation' or 'protection' frames," predicting, "It will likely shift from the Daejang-dong special prosecutor to a prosecutorial political situation."

Yoon Ho-jung, Co-Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea's Joint Election Countermeasures Committee, is delivering opening remarks at the headquarters meeting of the Election Countermeasures Committee held at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 4th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

Kim Ki-hyun, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 4th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

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