In Fog at the National Assembly... Opposition Forces Push Ahead with Special Prosecutor Bill for Chae Sang-byeong, Ruling Party Responds with Filibuster

Yeo "Aiming to Pass Special Prosecutor Before Chaesangbyeong's 1st Anniversary"
Ruling Party "No Agenda During Government Questioning Is Customary"
Possibility of Discussion Suspension with Joguk Innovation Party

On the afternoon of the 2nd, as the Democratic Party of Korea announced its intention to forcibly pass the 'Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act' at the National Assembly plenary session, the People Power Party decided to respond with a filibuster (unlimited debate) to legally obstruct the parliamentary proceedings.

Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, stated at the morning party strategy meeting, "We will definitely keep the promise to pass the special prosecutor bill before the first anniversary of Chae Sang-byeong's death." Considering the ruling party's filibuster, the Democratic Party plans to submit the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act to the plenary session for a vote immediately after the government questioning session on politics, diplomacy, unification, and security. Changing the agenda requires the cooperation of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. It is expected that the Democratic Party will submit a motion to change the agenda to pressure the submission of the special prosecutor bill.

Some speculate that the Democratic Party, together with the Innovation Party of Korea, might exercise the right to end debate to stop the ruling party's filibuster. According to the National Assembly Act, if more than one-third of the total members request the Speaker to end unlimited debate, and 24 hours have passed since the debate started, the debate can be forcibly ended if more than three-fifths of the members present agree.

Choo Kyung-ho Returns
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Joo-sung = On the morning of the 1st, Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, listens to the remarks of Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party, during the full meeting of the Steering Committee held at the National Assembly. 2024.7.1
utzza@yna.co.kr
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The Democratic Party is also considering President Yoon Seok-yeol's right to request a reconsideration (veto) of the special prosecutor bill. For a reconsidered bill to be passed again, a majority of the total members must be present, and two-thirds of the members present must approve. However, since the People Power Party holds more than one-third of the total seats (108 seats) in the 22nd National Assembly, passing the bill again is practically difficult.

The ruling party is determined to block the submission of the special prosecutor bill through the filibuster. After the party strategy meeting, People Power Party floor leader Chu Kyung-ho told reporters, "During the government questioning session, it is customary in the 20th and 21st National Assemblies not to submit any agenda items," and warned, "If the agenda is forcibly submitted without bipartisan agreement, we will respond with unlimited debate." The growing public resentment over the rejection of the special prosecutor bill is a burden. As of this day, the National Assembly's public petition demanding President Yoon's impeachment surpassed 800,000 signatures within ten days of its launch.

If the ruling party enters a filibuster, the second round of government questioning scheduled for the following day is also expected to be disrupted. The government questioning sessions are scheduled for politics, diplomacy, unification, and security on this day, economics on the 3rd, and education, society, and culture on the 4th.