Yeo: "Pass the Amendment to the Public Corruption Investigation Office Act Within This Month, Complete Launch by November"

Yoon Ho-jung, Chairman of the National Assembly Judiciary Committee, is presiding over the full meeting of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 3rd. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] The amendment to the Act on the Establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO Act) has been referred to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's Bill Review Subcommittee 1, marking the start of the formal passage process. The Democratic Party plans to pass the CIO Act amendment within this month if the opposition does not cooperate, and to complete the launch of the CIO by November.

Yoon Ho-jung, chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the Democratic Party, appeared on KBS Radio on the morning of the 22nd and said, "It was submitted to the committee yesterday, and Subcommittee 1 was assigned to handle it. I urged the subcommittee members to discuss the bill promptly." He added, "I believe the CIO should be established and launched before January 1 of next year," and said, "(The amendment) should at least have the CIO chief appointed by November." Kim Yong-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker who proposed the amendment, also said in a CBS Radio interview, "This discussion should be concluded within the Legislation and Judiciary Committee this month."

Regarding whether the Constitutional Court's decision would have an impact, Chairman Yoon responded, "Even if some of the opposition's claims are accepted, it does not mean the entire CIO Act is unconstitutional, so there is no problem with the launch of the CIO," and added, "If there are problematic provisions, they can be corrected." However, on the possibility of unilateral passage, he said, "I do not want to comment on unilateral passage yet," and "I expect the committee to recommend members before actively pushing for the amendment." A National Assembly official said, "From the Democratic Party's perspective, they have sufficiently waited for the opposition," and added, "There is a high possibility of pushing it through."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The People Power Party is reiterating its position that the Constitutional Court's decision should be awaited. Cho Soo-jin, a People Power Party lawmaker, said, "The general consensus is that there is a high possibility of unconstitutionality regarding the CIO Act. If so, wouldn't it be better to wait for the constitutional ruling? Once a system is established, it is difficult to amend." Kim Do-eup, also from the same party, claimed that the Democratic Party is rejecting the People Power Party's request to simultaneously implement the CIO chief recommendation committee and the special inspector recommendation. He said, "It is so contradictory to neglect the special inspector for three years while insisting on the CIO. This raises doubts about the sincerity of the Blue House and the Democratic Party."

Meanwhile, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee plans to first review the amendment proposed by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min, which was initially submitted, and then later submit the bills proposed by Baek Hye-ryun and Park Beom-gye, which have not yet completed the deliberation period (15 days after submission), and merge them for review in the Bill Review Subcommittee. Kim's bill mainly changes the authority to select the CIO chief candidate recommendation committee from 'negotiation groups in the National Assembly' to the 'National Assembly' itself. The bills proposed by Baek and Park allow the Speaker of the National Assembly to delegate the appointment and commissioning of recommendation committee members to the President of the Korean Association of Law Professors and the Chairperson of the Council of Law Schools if the opposition does not appoint CIO chief candidate recommendation committee members within a certain period.