Minju Proposes 'Double Special Investigation Mediation Plan' to Justice Party... Is Opposition Cooperation Possible?

Minju "Justice Party and Democratic Party Each Designated"
Special Prosecutor Scope, Recommendation Method 'Partially Accepted'
Justice Party to Discuss Parliamentary Position Within the Day

The Democratic Party of Korea, which has been engaged in a tug-of-war with the Justice Party over the push for a dual special prosecution on 'Kim Geon-hee and Daejang-dong,' has presented a mediation proposal. Attention is focused on whether this will become a breakthrough in negotiations, as both parties have made progressive changes regarding the scope of the special prosecution and the recommendation method, areas where they previously had disagreements.

Park Hong-geun, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at the party's floor strategy meeting on the 28th, "We are making a more concrete proposal to the Justice Party," adding, "At the plenary session on the 30th, we officially propose to the Justice Party and opposition lawmakers to designate the special prosecution law for the 5 Billion Club, which the Justice Party introduced in February, as a fast-track bill, and the special prosecution law for Kim Geon-hee, introduced by the Democratic Party on the 9th, as a fast-track bill." The day before, Park also officially requested cooperation from the Justice Party at the party's Supreme Council meeting, stating, "At the last plenary session in March, the designation of both special prosecution laws as fast-track bills must be finalized." At this meeting, the Democratic Party presented a mediation proposal to the Justice Party and once again entered negotiations.

Regarding the Daejang-dong 5 Billion Club special prosecution, the Justice Party demands a special prosecution targeting those involved in the '5 Billion Club suspicions,' while the Democratic Party includes illegal suspicions related to the funding and development profits of the Daejang-dong development project as subjects of the special prosecution. Concerning the Kim Geon-hee special prosecution, the Justice Party limits it to the 'Deutsche Motors stock manipulation suspicions' related to Mrs. Kim Geon-hee, whereas the Democratic Party insists that the special prosecution should also cover allegations of illegal sponsorship and bribery related to exhibitions by Kobana Contents.

In particular, the two parties clash over the approach to pushing the special prosecution forward. Regarding the recommendation method for special prosecutors, the Democratic Party's special prosecution law grants the president the authority to appoint special prosecutor candidates recommended by negotiation groups that the president does not belong to, with each group recommending two candidates. In contrast, the Justice Party's bill stipulates that two candidates are recommended by both 'negotiation groups that the president does not belong to' and 'non-negotiation parliamentary parties,' with the president appointing them. Procedurally, the Justice Party insists on first discussing the matter in the National Assembly's Judiciary Committee, while the Democratic Party argues for direct referral to the plenary session as a fast-track bill.

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the floor countermeasure meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 28th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The mediation proposal presented by the Democratic Party is to adopt the Justice Party's proposal for both the scope and recommendation method of the 5 Billion Club special prosecution law, while proceeding with the Democratic Party's proposal for the Kim Geon-hee special prosecution law. Especially since the Democratic Party has shown a progressive stance of 'partial acceptance' regarding the recommendation method, which the Justice Party values highly, there is a possibility that the Justice Party will engage in negotiations.

However, since the Justice Party criticizes the Democratic Party's method of pushing the special prosecution law as a fast-track bill, cooperation on the bill's promotion method is expected to remain difficult until the end. Regarding this, Kim Hee-seo, the chief spokesperson for the Justice Party, said, "We want to discuss it in the Judiciary Committee first, and if it is absolutely impossible, then consider the fast-track." She added, "Why not proceed in a proper order and instead be politically lazy? It seems like they just want to put on a 'fast-track show,'" expressing skepticism about the Democratic Party's sincerity.

Behind-the-scenes negotiations between the two parties have yet to make progress. The Justice Party plans to hold a meeting of its floor leadership in the afternoon to discuss the Democratic Party's mediation proposal.