Democratic Party Brings Law, Operations, and Science Committees... Comprehensive Pressure on Yoon Administration and Prosecution

'Chaesangbyeong Special Prosecutor Act' and 'Broadcasting 3 Acts' Soon to Be Submitted to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee
Prosecutorial Pressure with 'Prosecutorial Manipulation Special Prosecutor Act' and 'Law Distortion Act'

As soon as the Democratic Party of Korea secured 11 standing committees, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, it entered a strong offensive mode against the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. Additionally, it began defending Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung's judicial risks by pressuring the prosecution through legislation.

Democratic Party of Korea Floor Leader Park Chan-dae is presiding over the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 11th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 11th, Park Chan-dae, the Democratic Party floor leader, stated at a floor strategy meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, "We will immediately activate the standing committees to review current issues and expedite the passage of necessary bills," mentioning the Special Prosecutor Act on the alleged investigation interference in the death of Corporal Chae (Chae Corporal Special Prosecutor Act) and the three broadcasting laws (amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the Broadcasting Culture Promotion Act, and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act). He added, "We will first demand ministry work reports and, if refused, push for hearings," and "For necessary matters, we will pursue a government audit and conduct interpellations within the temporary session period as stipulated by the National Assembly Act."

The Democratic Party is also expected to pressure the administration by processing bills vetoed by President Yoon Seok-yeol in the standing committees. The Chae Corporal Special Prosecutor Act is anticipated to be submitted to and processed by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee within this week. President Yoon exercised his veto on this bill during the 21st National Assembly, and the Democratic Party reintroduced it as the first bill in the 22nd National Assembly. Jeong Cheong-rae, a Democratic Party member and chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, responded "Yes" to a question on the YouTube program 'Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory' on whether the review of the Chae Corporal Special Prosecutor Act would proceed within this week.

The three broadcasting laws vetoed by President Yoon are also expected to be submitted and processed within this week. Since Choi Min-hee, classified as a strong pro-Lee Jae-myung faction member, chairs the Science, Technology, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, responsible for systematic and textual review, is also dominated by the Democratic Party, the bills can be processed swiftly. The day before, Choi proposed amendments to the three broadcasting laws to increase the number of public broadcasting directors from 11 to 15. On the 3rd, Democratic Party member Lee Hoon-gi also introduced amendments to the broadcasting laws to immediately terminate the terms of existing public broadcasting directors upon enforcement of the law and appoint new directors according to the revised law.

The party is also expected to pressure the prosecution. This is based on the judgment that it must defend leader Lee Jae-myung's judicial risks, such as the guilty verdict in the first trial on the 7th for former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Governor Lee Hwa-young regarding allegations of illegal remittances to North Korea by Ssangbangwool Group. On the 3rd, the Democratic Party introduced the 'Special Prosecutor Act on Prosecution's Fabrication of Evidence in North Korea Remittance Case,' claiming that the prosecution fabricated evidence and coerced defendants. The Democratic Party's 'Special Task Force on Political Prosecution Case Fabrication,' which proposed the special prosecutor act, stated on the 8th, "We will pass the special prosecutor act as soon as possible to clearly expose the prosecution's fabrication of cases."

The Democratic Party also plans to pressure the prosecution through legislative activities. Examples include the 'Law Distortion Crime,' which punishes judges or prosecutors who distort laws to advantage or disadvantage parties involved in cases, and the 'Investigation Agency False Accusation Crime,' which punishes investigative agencies involved in false accusation acts. They also plan to proceed with impeachment of prosecutors, which was attempted in the 21st National Assembly. Park Gyun-taek, a Democratic Party member and secretary of the special task force, said regarding the possibility of impeaching the prosecutor who investigated former Deputy Governor Lee, "We will devise ways to respond within the National Assembly Act."