Inspection Complete Law Passed, Democratic Party Holds Solo Vote Late at Night... People Power Party Calls It a "Rushing Vote"

Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, opposes the forced passage of the Prosecutor's Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act amendments, known as "Geomsu Wanbak," at the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 27th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] The Democratic Party of Korea unilaterally passed the so-called 'Geomsu Wanbak' (complete removal of prosecution's investigative authority) bill at the early morning plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 27th. The committee consecutively approved amendments to the Prosecutors' Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act between 12:11 AM and 12:12 AM that day.

The Democratic Party pushed forward the bill review after going through the first subcommittee of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the agenda adjustment committee, which had been ongoing since the afternoon of the 26th. Members of the People Power Party strongly opposed the bill, holding placards with slogans such as 'Attempt to conceal power corruption, oppose Geomsu Wanbak' and 'People bear the burden, criminals benefit,' but the Democratic Party leveraged its majority seats to pass the bill by a solo vote. This occurred just eight minutes after the plenary session began.

Among the 18 members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, 10 belong to the Democratic Party, constituting a majority; 6 belong to the People Power Party, and 2 belong to non-negotiating groups. All 10 Democratic Party members and independent lawmaker Min Hyung-bae, who left the Democratic Party, voted in favor of the bill. Independent lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja, formerly of the Democratic Party, cast a dissenting vote. Members of the People Power Party did not participate in the vote.

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is leaving the meeting room after the plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly on the 27th, following the passage of the bill separating prosecution and investigation (Amendments to the Prosecutors' Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act).

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Before the plenary session, the People Power Party requested the agenda adjustment committee to delay the bill review and to revise some provisions. Among the six members of the agenda adjustment committee, the Democratic Party assigned Min as an independent member, resulting in a 4 to 2 ratio, effectively passing the committee under Democratic Party leadership. When the agenda adjustment committee was neutralized, People Power Party members protested, and physical altercations broke out inside and outside the committee meeting room.

The Democratic Party's forceful passage is expected to deepen the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties. Kwon Seong-dong, leader of the People Power Party, stated, "The Democratic Party attempted to neutralize the agenda adjustment committee from the start," and criticized, "Independent lawmaker Min Hyung-bae is effectively a member of the Democratic Party. When independent lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja expressed opposition to the Geomsu Wanbak bill, Min was disguised as having left the party to make the agenda adjustment committee favorable to the Democratic Party."

He added, "They unilaterally rushed the bill through without properly convening the agenda adjustment committee, which had procedural flaws," and pointed out, "The agenda was not even placed on the desks of the committee members." The People Power Party announced it would use all means, including a filibuster (legal obstruction through unlimited debate), to block the bill.

With the Geomsu Wanbak bill passing the final gate of the standing committee, only the plenary session vote remains. The Democratic Party plans to hold a plenary session as early as that day with the cooperation of National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seok to pass the bill.

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