Opposition Refers Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Bill to Judiciary Committee Subcommittee... Ruling Party Calls It a "Quick Processing Trick"

On the 4th, the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, led by the opposition party, tabled the 'Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act' and referred it to the bill subcommittee. The People Power Party protested this by boycotting the meeting and condemned the Democratic Party as using a "trick for swift processing."

On the same day, the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a plenary meeting to table the 'Act on the Appointment of a Special Prosecutor for the Investigation of Obstruction and Concealment of the Death of a Marine in the Line of Duty' (Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act), which the Democratic Party of Korea had proposed last month, and referred it to the bill review subcommittee.

The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party and the Justice Innovation Party, convened the plenary meeting alone to proceed with the tabling of the special prosecutor bill and its referral to the subcommittee. Kim Seung-won, the Democratic Party's secretary, said, "The ruling party expressed opposition to tabling the special prosecutor bill and stated that if the report on the confirmation hearing for the Prosecutor General nominee is not adopted, there is no reason to attend, thus indicating their intention to boycott."

Members of the People Power Party on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee opposed the Democratic Party's unilateral tabling of the special prosecutor bill. Yoo Sang-beom, the ruling party's secretary, criticized at a National Assembly press conference, "Today's Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting was supposed to be for adopting the report on the confirmation hearing for the Prosecutor General nominee, but despite the ruling party's opposition, the Democratic Party put the special prosecutor bill as the first agenda item."

Jeong Cheong-rae, Chairman of the National Assembly Judiciary Committee, is striking the gavel at the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 27th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Yoo said, "If this special prosecutor bill is referred to the subcommittee, the special prosecutor bill proposed yesterday by the five opposition parties can be merged and tabled immediately without the 20-day deliberation period," adding, "This is a trick to swiftly process the special prosecutor bill of the five opposition parties."

The Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act, proposed the previous day by the five opposition parties including the Democratic Party, stipulates that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court recommends four candidates for special prosecutor, and the Democratic Party and non-negotiating opposition parties narrow them down to two, from which the President appoints one. The 'third party,' the Chief Justice, recommends the special prosecutor, and the opposition parties hold veto power over the candidates.

Jung Cheong-rae, chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and a member of the Democratic Party, emphasized, "This bill is the 'third-party recommendation method' that Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, mentioned, which the opposition has accepted," adding, "If the ruling party proposes another bill, it can be merged in the subcommittee for sufficient discussion and consultation."

The Legislation and Judiciary Committee had planned to discuss the adoption of the report on the confirmation hearing for candidate Shim Woo-jung for Prosecutor General at the plenary meeting that day, but it was canceled due to the ruling party's absence. Chair Jung said, "After consultations between the secretaries of both parties, we will hold the plenary meeting again tomorrow to discuss the adoption of the hearing report."

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