Yoon Jae-ok's Proposal to Exercise the Right to Request Reconsideration
Lee Yang-su "Is There a Real Will to Solve... Opinions Ignored"
22nd, Veto Power Also Nullified if Defection Votes Occur
As the so-called 'Sergeant Chae Special Prosecutor Act' was passed under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea, the People Power Party immediately protested. They announced plans to recommend that President Yoon Seok-yeol exercise his veto power, while there are also prospects that the bill could pass if re-voted in the future.
Lee Yang-su, the senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, strongly criticized in a phone call on the 3rd, calling it "the dereliction of duty by the Speaker of the National Assembly who should have induced cooperation." Lee said, "The special law on the Itaewon disaster opened the way for cooperation, but our party's opinion to handle the Sergeant Chae Special Prosecutor Act through consultation was ignored," adding, "I wonder whether the Democratic Party really wants to resolve the Sergeant Chae issue or just wants to embarrass the government and ruling party."
The Democratic Party submitted a motion to change the agenda to demand the introduction of the Sergeant Chae Special Prosecutor Act after the 'Itaewon Disaster Special Act' was passed by consensus in the plenary session the day before. Although there was no bipartisan agreement, Speaker Kim Jin-pyo accepted the Democratic Party's request to introduce the bill, and a vote on the motion to change the agenda was held. The motion was passed, and the bill was introduced. The Sergeant Chae Special Prosecutor Act calls for a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that the Presidential Office and the Ministry of National Defense intervened in the initial investigation and transfer to the police of the case in which Sergeant Chae Su-geun died in the line of duty during a search operation for missing persons in July last year.
Yoon Jae-ok, acting party leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, held a condemnation rally immediately after the passage of the Sergeant Chae Special Prosecutor Act, saying, "Considering the legislative process and the content of the bill, I think we have no choice but to recommend the exercise of the veto power." Jeong Hee-yong, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, said in a statement, "They have turned a deaf ear to the voices of the people demanding the restoration of parliamentary politics and have effectively declared a war to control everything at the Democratic Party's will," adding, "It is no different from succumbing to the Democratic Party's intimidation that they will block the Speaker of the National Assembly's overseas trips if there is non-cooperation."
If the president exercises the veto power, a re-vote will be held. For the re-vote to pass, a majority of the total members must be present, and two-thirds or more of the members present must approve. Assuming all 295 members except for independent lawmaker Yoon Kwan-seok, who is detained, attend out of the 296 total members, 197 votes in favor are required. Among the ruling coalition (People Power Party 113 seats, Liberty Unification Party 1 seat, Independent 1 seat), at least 17 defections are needed for the bill to pass. Inside the People Power Party, it is believed that there will not be many defections.
However, there are opinions that the outcome cannot be guaranteed if it moves to the 22nd National Assembly. If the opposition reintroduces the bill, the special prosecutor law could pass even if the president vetoes it, provided that eight members defect from the ruling coalition (opposition coalition 192 seats, ruling coalition 108 seats). Previously, senior party members such as Jo Kyung-tae, Ahn Cheol-soo, and newly elected members Kim Jae-seop and Han Ji-a expressed support for the special prosecutor law. A member of the People Power Party said, "I am not sure (if it will be rejected)," adding, "If public opinion is unfavorable, we may have to reconsider the situation."
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