People Power Party Files Constitutional Complaint with Constitutional Court over Dedicated Tribunal for Internal Rebellion Act, Citing Serious Unconstitutionality

Competence Dispute Petition Also Filed Against Speaker Woo
for Abrupt Submission and Passage of Revised Bills in Plenary Session

The People Power Party has filed a constitutional complaint regarding the so-called "Dedicated Tribunal for Internal Rebellion Act." In addition, the party has also filed a competence dispute petition, arguing that National Assembly Speaker Woo Wonshik deprived lawmakers of the opportunity to thoroughly review and amend the bill by abruptly submitting a revised version to the plenary session and declaring its passage during the legislative process.

On January 26, the People Power Party announced that it had submitted a constitutional complaint to the Constitutional Court regarding the "Special Act on Criminal Procedures for Internal Rebellion, Treason, and Insurrection Crimes (Dedicated Tribunal for Internal Rebellion Act)," which was passed in a revised form at the plenary session on December 24 of last year. Contrary to the ruling party's claim that unconstitutional elements had been removed, the People Power Party argued that the law still contains serious unconstitutional aspects.

On the 23rd, the special bill on the establishment of a dedicated court for the emergency martial law under Yoon Seokyeol on December 3 and the protection of whistleblowers (Law on the Establishment of a Dedicated Court for Treason) is being passed under the ruling party's leadership at the plenary session held at the National Assembly. 2025.12.23 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

The constitutional complaint submitted on this day asserts that the Dedicated Tribunal for Internal Rebellion Act seriously infringes upon constitutionally guaranteed rights, including the right to equality, the right to trial, the right to a national referendum, and the freedom of political party activities. It also claims that the law undermines the principles of the rule of law and constitutional order.

Furthermore, the People Power Party has also filed a competence dispute petition, arguing that Speaker Woo deprived lawmakers of the opportunity to thoroughly review and amend the bills by abruptly submitting and declaring the passage of the revised versions of both the Dedicated Tribunal for Internal Rebellion Act and the so-called "Online Gag Law" (the Partial Amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection) to the plenary session.

Kwak Gyutaek, Legal Advisory Committee Chair of the People Power Party, stated, "The so-called Dedicated Tribunal for Internal Rebellion Act has been mired in constitutional controversy since its inception. Discriminating against certain crimes and defendants without reasonable grounds violates the right to equality, and depriving individuals of the 'right to a fair trial by judges as stipulated by the Constitution and the law' is a clear violation of the Constitution."

He continued, "Attempting to define fundamental changes to the judicial system through ordinary legislation, without a constitutional amendment process, is an act that infringes upon the right to a national referendum and undermines constitutional order. We have filed a constitutional complaint as a last resort to prevent the tyranny of the majority party abusing its seat count."

Kwak also criticized Speaker Woo, stating, "Even though the revised bills are not directly related to the original proposals, they were abruptly submitted, passed, and declared, completely blocking lawmakers' substantive deliberative rights. This renders the standing committee system meaningless and flagrantly violates both parliamentary principles and the principle of majority rule, constituting an unconstitutional act."

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