Special Prosecutor Law for Chae Sang-byeong Rejected in Re-vote...Estimated 3-4 Defections from People Power Party (Summary)

Opposition Parties Plan to Reintroduce Special Prosecutor Bill for Chae Sang-byeong Case

President Yoon Suk-yeol exercised his veto power on the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act (Special Prosecutor Appointment Act for the Investigation of Obstruction and Concealment of the Truth in the Death of a Marine on Duty), and the bill was automatically discarded after being rejected in a re-vote. However, it appears that there were at least 3 to 4 dissenting votes from the ruling party.

On the 25th, at the plenary session held in the National Assembly, opposition party members are leaving the plenary hall after the re-vote bill on the 'Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act' was rejected. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

On the 25th, the National Assembly held a plenary session and conducted a re-vote on the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act. The voting results showed that out of 299 members present, 194 voted in favor, 104 against, and 1 abstained, resulting in the bill's rejection. For a bill vetoed by the president to pass, a majority of the total members must be present, and at least two-thirds of those present must vote in favor.

The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act has been automatically discarded twice since the Yoon Suk-yeol administration began. The opposition party passed the bill through the 21st National Assembly plenary session on May 2, but President Yoon exercised his veto. Subsequently, in the last plenary session of the 21st National Assembly on May 28, the bill was rejected in a re-vote. When the 22nd National Assembly began, the Democratic Party made the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act their first party-line bill. On the 4th of this month, the bill passed the National Assembly plenary session led by the opposition, but President Yoon again exercised his veto.

The Democratic Party insists that the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act is necessary to uncover suspicions of external pressure on the investigation into Chae Sang-byeong’s death. Park Chan-dae, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, said on the day, "The overwhelming majority of the public hopes for the passage of the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act," adding, "If this is defied, it will be shipwrecked in the sea of history and public sentiment." Conversely, the People Power Party opposed the bill, arguing that it would destroy the judicial system. Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, stated, "Throughout the party convention, we strongly opposed the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act proposed by the Democratic Party," and claimed, "It is an omnipotent law that destroys the judicial system and harms the people."

It is estimated that there were dissenting votes within the People Power Party. Considering that the maximum number of votes that can be gathered from the opposition is 191, it is analyzed that at least 3 to 4 members defected. After a party meeting, Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, told reporters, "I do not want to say that unity has been broken," and added, "The significance lies in the fact that members confirmed the unfairness of the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act, which contains many unconstitutional elements, and continued to reject it."

The opposition plans to reintroduce the automatically discarded Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act. Acting leader Park said at a rally condemning the bill’s rejection, "We strongly condemn President Yoon and the People Power Party for ignoring fairness and common sense," and added, "Although the special prosecutor bill was rejected again, we will not stop." Hwang Un-ha, floor leader of the Joguk Innovation Party, said, "We will submit the Yoon Suk-yeol Special Prosecutor Act, a special prosecutor bill targeting the president for investigation," emphasizing, "If President Yoon vetoes the Yoon Suk-yeol Special Prosecutor Act, it means he is obstructing the investigation against himself."

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