Special Prosecutor Law Chaos... Jo Won-jin: "Democrats Also Run Wild in the 21st National Assembly"

Less than a week after the start of the 22nd National Assembly's term, concerns are growing as the ruling and opposition parties flood the scene with special prosecutor laws (special prosecutor acts) targeting each other. The focus appears to be solely on symbolic competition and retaliation between the parties, neglecting public welfare, raising concerns that the standoff over the special prosecutor laws could lead to political paralysis.

A banner congratulating the opening of the 22nd National Assembly is hung at the main building of the National Assembly. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

On the 5th, Cho Won-jin, leader of the Our Republican Party, said in an interview with YTN Radio’s ‘News Fighting with Bae Seung-hee,’ “In the 21st National Assembly, the ‘big opposition party’ Democratic Party of Korea, led by Lee Jae-myung, showed a stance of ‘let’s go all out until we make Lee the president,’ so I thought it would be difficult for the People Power Party to resist legislative dictatorship.”

Regarding the flood of special prosecutor laws targeting each other, Cho said, “The ‘Kim Jung-sook Special Prosecutor Act’ proposed by Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party is absurd and ultimately not very helpful to the People Power Party,” adding, “Personally, I think they should accept both the Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act and the Kim Jung-sook Special Prosecutor Act, and there should be a bit of a check on Yongsan as well.”

Choi Jae-sung, former senior secretary for political affairs and a member of the ‘non-Lee Jae-myung faction,’ appeared on KBS Radio’s ‘Jeonggyeok Sisa’ the same day and criticized the Democratic Party’s proposal of the ‘North Korea remittance special prosecutor act,’ asking, “Did they really have to propose this?” Choi said, “The Democratic Party believes that the prosecution tried to lure Lee Jae-myung into the North Korea remittance special prosecutor investigation,” and added, “Considering the process, I fully understand their feelings and motives behind proposing the special prosecutor act.”

Regarding criticism from the People Power Party calling it a ‘special prosecutor act to shield Lee Jae-myung,’ he responded, “It’s out of the question that it’s meant to shield him,” but questioned, “Does the investigation have to be done only through a special prosecutor?”

Meanwhile, according to political circles, as of this day, the special prosecutor bills proposed by the ruling and opposition parties include a total of five: the People Power Party’s special prosecutor act targeting Kim Jung-sook, wife of former President Moon Jae-in; the Democratic Party’s special prosecutor acts targeting Kim Geon-hee, Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance, and Chae Sang-byeong; and the Justice Innovation Party’s first party policy bill, the Han Dong-hoon special prosecutor act.

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