Minju, What Is the 'Plan B' Card If the Double Special Prosecutor Bill Is Rejected?

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On the 8th, as the Democratic Party of Korea prepares for a re-vote on the 'Treason and Kim Keon-hee Special Prosecutor Act' at the National Assembly plenary session, opinions diverge on how to respond if the bill is rejected. The party leadership's position is to immediately reintroduce a special prosecutor bill that includes treason charges against President Yoon in case the re-vote fails. However, some argue that the party should prioritize focusing its efforts on President Yoon's impeachment trial rather than the re-vote itself.

On the same day, the National Assembly will re-vote on a total of eight bills, including the so-called double special prosecutor bills such as the 'Treason and Kim Keon-hee Special Prosecutor Act,' the Grain Management Act, and the National Assembly Testimony and Inspection Act, among other major contentious bills. For a bill vetoed by the president to pass after a re-vote, a majority of the total members of the National Assembly must be present, and at least two-thirds of the attending members must vote in favor. If all 300 members participate in the vote, at least eight defections from the ruling party are required.

The political circle views the possibility of the re-voted bills passing as low. The Democratic Party initially expected that the arrest of President Yoon would accelerate divisions within the ruling party, leading to a rapid increase in defections. However, as the execution of the arrest warrant was aborted and the ruling party's unity strengthened, the likelihood of the special prosecutor bill passing the National Assembly plenary session has diminished. This is why the Democratic Party is struggling to prepare a 'Plan B' in case the special prosecutor bill is rejected. An opposition lawmaker who requested anonymity said, "Ahead of this re-vote, we did not even communicate with pro-Han Dong-hoon faction lawmakers who are positive about President Yoon's impeachment," adding, "The party is preparing scenarios for after the bill's rejection rather than its approval."

The party leadership plans to immediately reintroduce a special prosecutor bill including charges of treason against President Yoon if the bill is rejected. Treason refers to the crime of conspiring secretly with a foreign country or foreign nationals to instigate or wage war. This crime excludes the statute of limitations and carries a severe penalty of death or life imprisonment. The party intends to continuously pressure the government and ruling party by adding charges that carry the highest penalties under criminal law. Professor Shin Yul of Myongji University's Department of Political Science and Diplomacy said, "The Democratic Party currently feels considerable burden regarding the impeachment of the acting president," and analyzed, "They will have no choice but to choose the method of continuously pressuring the ruling party through the reintroduction of the special prosecutor bill against President Yoon."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

However, experts have also raised opinions that it would be difficult to apply treason charges to President Yoon and other government officials through the special prosecutor. Professor Jang Young-soo of Korea University Law School observed, "There have been reports of drones sent to North Korea, but I have never heard of contact with high-ranking North Korean officials," and added, "While general betrayal charges, which apply when harming one's own country's military interests, might be applicable, it is not easy to prove the conspiracy required for treason."

Meanwhile, there are opinions that the 'Special Committee on National Assembly Investigation (National Assembly Investigation Special Committee)' should be actively utilized. In fact, opposition lawmakers belonging to the National Assembly Investigation Special Committee are considering the card of summoning President Yoon as a witness. They suggest summoning President Yoon as a witness regarding treason charges and conducting hearings at the detention center for key figures involved in the emergency martial law who are currently imprisoned. The core of this strategy is not effectiveness but focusing on public opinion ahead of impeachment. The aim is to continuously expose President Yoon's illegal activities to prepare for the upcoming impeachment trial.

Some also support the argument to focus on the presidential impeachment trial through the impeachment prosecution team. They emphasize the need to take the initiative in the first formal hearing of President Yoon's impeachment trial scheduled for the 14th. Anticipating that the special prosecutor bill's re-vote will repeatedly result in 'rejection → dismissal,' they argue that it is necessary to proactively respond to key issues such as witness examination and evidence investigation that could influence the impeachment trial. Political commentator Park Sang-byeong said in a phone interview, "If the Democratic Party loses the grounds for impeachment, it may face a backlash from the public," adding, "In preparation for this, they must devote all efforts to respond to even a single ruling that could influence the Constitutional Court."

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