People Power Party: "'Lee Jae-myung's Bulletproof Law' Inspection Complete Abolition Bill Processing is Fundamentally Invalid"

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the joint meeting of standing committee chairs and secretaries held at the National Assembly on the 27th, delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

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[Asia Economy Reporters Hyunju Lee and Hyunji Kwon] On the 27th, the People Power Party began a sit-in protest on the stairs of the National Assembly main building to block the passage of the 'Complete Prosecution Investigation Rights Removal' related bills, which had passed the full meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee. People Power Party lawmakers held placards reading "National Burden Criminal Jackpot" and "Democratic Party, Stop Passing Lee Jae-myung's Bulletproof Law Immediately," shouting slogans as they protested.

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, condemned, "After losing the presidential election, the Democratic Party suddenly labeled the prosecution as the devil and submitted an absurd bill to strip the prosecution of its investigative authority," adding, "They tried to forcibly take away the prosecution's investigative rights, relying on nearly 180 seats." He continued, "The agenda adjustment committee and the full meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee were all illegal. It is fundamentally invalid as it violated the procedures stipulated by the National Assembly Act."

Floor leader Kwon emphasized, "In the end, because they have many shady matters, they tried to evade them by stripping the prosecution's investigative rights," and added, "If public resistance and public opinion against the Complete Prosecution Investigation Rights Removal are strong, responding to that public opinion is the essence of politics."

He expressed that the bill passage process, which continued from the previous day, was illegal and forcibly carried out by the majority seats. Kwon explained, "Even though there was an agreed-upon proposal between the ruling and opposition party floor leaders, and it was agreed to submit that proposal to the agenda adjustment committee and the full meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the bill was rammed through, so the agreed proposal was not even submitted to the meeting," adding, "As a result, the bill they arbitrarily created in the first subcommittee was shamelessly submitted to the agenda adjustment committee and the full meeting."

Yang Geum-hee, the party's floor spokesperson, also pointed out, "Just two years ago, after passing the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials Act and the Police-Prosecution Investigation Coordination Act, it was said that the prosecution reform pursued by the Moon Jae-in administration was complete. However, with the regime change in this presidential election, they have now come out to strip all investigative rights from the prosecution within President Moon Jae-in's term," and criticized, "Ultimately, this is nothing more and nothing less than trying to completely block ongoing power-related corruption."

The People Power Party is expected to carry out a filibuster if the bill is later submitted to the plenary session. Chief spokesperson Heo Eun-ah said, "The People Power Party is desperately needed to stop the runaway Democratic Party from ruining the Republic of Korea," and added, "We will explore and attempt every possible method within the National Assembly."

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