Voices Growing Louder for Justice Party Amid 'Ssangteukgeom' National Assembly Debate

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] As the Democratic Party of Korea pushes for so-called 'double special investigations' including the 'Kim Geon-hee First Lady Special Investigation' and the 'Daejang-dong Special Investigation,' the Justice Party, which holds the casting vote for the special investigation fast track, is raising its voice. The party argues that more focus should be placed on the Daejang-dong special investigation, especially the '50 Billion Won Special Investigation,' rather than the special investigation on First Lady Kim.

Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi stated on the 14th on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs' that they are preparing a special investigation not on Daejang-dong in general but on the 'Hwacheon Daeyu 50 Billion Club.' Lee said, "It is not just important to propose the special investigation law, but the special investigation must actually be activated within the National Assembly," adding, "If the scope is broadened to cover all of Daejang-dong, it will be very difficult to reach an agreement within the National Assembly," explaining why the focus is on the '50 Billion Club.'

Lee Jung-mi, leader of the Justice Party, is speaking at the Executive Committee meeting held on the 13th at the protest site in front of the National Assembly main building in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

For the Democratic Party to bypass the Judiciary Committee and put the special investigations on First Lady Kim and Daejang-dong on the fast track, the help of the Justice Party is essential. This is because the fast track requires the approval of three-fifths (180 seats) of the total members. However, the Justice Party has drawn a line on the special investigation on First Lady Kim and is focusing on the '50 Billion Special Investigation' within the Daejang-dong investigation, putting the Democratic Party in a somewhat difficult position.

Regarding the reason for pushing the '50 Billion Club' special investigation, Lee explained, "The People Power Party first raised the issue of the '50 Billion Club' in 2021, and at that time, former leader Lee Jun-seok strongly called for a special investigation, so neither the Democratic Party nor the People Power Party has any reason to oppose handling the '50 Billion Club' special investigation," adding, "This is a special investigation that can create an agreement to investigate with the authority of the National Assembly what the prosecution failed to properly investigate."

Since both the People Power Party and the Democratic Party have vested interests in this case, the Justice Party argues that the special investigation candidate should be recommended by consensus among the three non-negotiating parties. Lee said, "This is not a special investigation under the permanent special investigation law but a general special investigation law being proposed," adding, "The permanent special investigation law allows two recommendations from each party, but since both major parties are involved as stakeholders in Hwacheon Daeyu, it is highly likely that political disputes will arise over accepting the special investigators recommended by each party, leading to a stalemate."

The Justice Party also explained that it is 'not fundamentally opposed' to the Democratic Party's proposed special investigation on First Lady Kim. Justice Party floor deputy leader Jang Hye-young said on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' "It is not a fundamental opposition. From a methodological perspective, what is needed now is to clearly start with a focused lesson on the prosecution's biased investigation of First Lady Kim for the public," expressing this view.

He said, "I think a special investigation can be one method," but also pointed out, "The Democratic Party wants to put the special investigation on First Lady Kim on the plenary session fast track, which requires 180 seats, and in a way, this is the most drastic measure that can be taken in the National Assembly."

He argued that rather than the drastic fast track, it is a priority to urge the prosecution to summon and investigate, thereby pressuring the prosecution. He said, "The investigation into First Lady Kim started around October 2020, during the latter half of the Moon Jae-in administration, and it has been dragging on without conclusion, and not even a single summons has been made," adding, "The clear demand is, 'You haven't summoned her even once, right? Are you not going to summon her? Do it now.'"

On the other hand, the Democratic Party insists on the double special investigations. Democratic Party lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon said on BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal' that "If the prosecution ultimately ignores it, this is the system made for such times, the special investigation," adding, "If I were the Prosecutor General, I would roll up my sleeves to restore my honor regarding the 50 billion or Kim Geon-hee's stock manipulation, but I wonder if the prosecution has the courage to stand up against the current power alive and well, and even if they do, whether they have the ability to reveal the truth."

People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Sang-beom, a lawyer, criticized the Justice Party's '50 Billion Special Investigation' push, saying, "Although the first trial resulted in acquittal, even from my perspective as a legal expert, there is a very high possibility that the verdict will change to guilty in the appeal trial," adding, "If the appeal trial results in a guilty verdict, will there be another special investigation? At least wait for the second trial," urging to decide after seeing the trial results. The court acquitted former lawmaker Kwak Sang-do's son of bribery charges related to the 5 billion won retirement pay from Hwacheon Daeyu in the first trial, and the prosecution has appealed this decision.

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