National Assembly Judiciary Committee Approves Three Public Corruption Investigation Office Laws... United Future Party Abstains from Vote

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] On the 3rd, the Democratic Party of Korea passed the three follow-up bills related to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gong-su-cheo) and the 'Late Choi Sook-hyun Act' at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Members from the United Future Party boycotted the vote in protest against the Democratic Party's forceful passage of the bills.

On the afternoon of the same day, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a plenary session at the National Assembly and approved the partial amendment bills to the National Assembly Act, the Personnel Hearing Act, the rules concerning the operation of the candidate recommendation committee for the head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office, and other follow-up bills related to Gong-su-cheo, as well as the partial amendment to the National Sports Promotion Act (Choi Sook-hyun Act).

The 'Gong-su-cheo follow-up three bills' include provisions to subject the head of Gong-su-cheo to personnel hearings and designate Gong-su-cheo as an agency under the jurisdiction of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. It also includes a provision allowing the Speaker of the National Assembly to set a deadline and request negotiation groups to nominate members for the candidate recommendation committee for the Gong-su-cheo head.

The Choi Sook-hyun Act contains provisions such as extending the disqualification period for sports coaches involved in sexual violence or other forms of violence from the existing one year to five years.

Members from the United Future Party protested the Democratic Party's unilateral handling of the bills, held only a substitute debate on the Choi Sook-hyun Act, and then left the session.

The Democratic Party plans to finalize the approval of these bills at the plenary session on the 4th.