Chu Kyung-ho Orders 'Unified Front' for Ruling Party... Major Challenge in 'Special Prosecutor Defense'

Possible Defection of Some Ruling Party Members in Re-vote on Special Prosecutor Chaesangbyeong
Opposition Predicts Forceful Push for Special Prosecutor on Kim Geonhee in 22nd Assembly
Negotiations for Assembly Formation Expected to Be Challenging Task

Choo Kyung-ho, newly elected floor leader of the People Power Party, is immediately faced with the major challenge of 'defending against special investigations.' The opposition bloc (Geoya) has announced that it will push through various special investigation bills once the 22nd National Assembly convenes on the 30th, following the 21st Assembly.

The first test for Floor Leader Choo, who emphasized a 'unified front' in the floor leader election, is expected to be blocking the opposition's special investigation bills. Choo shares a similar view with President Yoon Seok-yeol. Earlier, at a press conference marking his second anniversary in office on the 9th, President Yoon expressed his rejection of the special investigation bills concerning Chae Sang-byeong and First Lady Kim Geon-hee, stating that "investigations by the authorities should take priority" and that "investigations were conducted during the previous administration, so a special investigation would be contradictory."

In the case of the Chae Sang-byeong special investigation, where President Yoon is likely to exercise his veto power, 197 votes are required assuming all 295 sitting members participate in the re-vote. The opposition bloc holds 180 seats, so if the ruling party yields 17 or more votes, the bill can ultimately pass. Furthermore, since the opposition bloc holds 192 seats in the 22nd National Assembly, if even some ruling party members defect, the opposition could not only pass the special investigation bill but also handle other legislation at will.

Chu Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party and acting party leader, is answering questions from reporters as he arrives at the National Assembly on the 10th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Signs of defection within the ruling party regarding the Chae Sang-byeong special investigation bill persist. On the morning of the same day, Ahn Cheol-soo, a People Power Party lawmaker, responded "yes" when asked on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' whether he could vote against the party line if the ruling party decided to reject the Chae Sang-byeong special investigation bill as its official stance. He added, "In a way, conservative values are more important than the party line." Additionally, lawmakers who lost their nominations or seats in the 22nd general election may also cast dissenting votes. Choo’s call for a 'unified front' as his first order upon election is interpreted against this backdrop. The day before, Choo emphasized, "The 192-seat opposition will continue to look for gaps. We must remain unwavering."

The Democratic Party’s announcement that it will take both the chairmanships of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee in the 22nd National Assembly suggests that negotiations over the formation of the National Assembly will also be a challenging task for Floor Leader Choo. Unlike the 21st Assembly, where the ruling party held the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Democratic Party plans to secure the chairmanship in the 22nd Assembly to facilitate smoother legislative procedures, rather than referring bills directly to the plenary session through the fast-track process.

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