'Chaesangbyeong Special Prosecutor Act' Passed in Plenary Session... Extreme Conflict Between Ruling and Opposition Parties Delays National Assembly Opening Ceremony (Comprehensive)

Special Prosecutor Act Passes Plenary Session with 189 Votes in Favor
People Power Party, Ahn Cheol-soo Votes Alone in Favor
Woo Won-sik Filibuster Halted Amid Chaos
Yoon Exercises Veto Power↑... Possibility of Re-vote
People Power Party to Skip National Assembly Opening Ceremony on 5th

The Special Act on Sergeant Chae Sang-byeong passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 4th. It is the first bill processed in the 22nd National Assembly. The People Power Party attempted to block the bill's passage through a filibuster (unlimited debate), but opposition parties including the Democratic Party forcibly ended the filibuster and proceeded with the vote.

According to the National Assembly, the Special Act on Sergeant Chae Sang-byeong was approved in the plenary session with 189 votes in favor and 1 against out of 190 members present. Among the People Power Party members, Representative Ahn Cheol-soo voted in favor, and Representative Kim Jae-seop participated in the vote and opposed it. The rest of the People Power Party members did not attend the vote. Right after the vote, Representative Ahn told reporters, "It is the state's duty to uncover the truth about Sergeant Chae, who sacrificed his life at a young age, and to provide appropriate honors."

Thus, the Special Act on Sergeant Chae Sang-byeong was passed 37 days after it was rejected following President Yoon Seok-yeol's veto at the last plenary session of the 21st National Assembly on May 28 and the subsequent re-vote in the National Assembly.

People from the People Power Party are protesting Speaker Woo Won-sik's request to stop the unlimited debate (filibuster) during the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 4th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Woo Won-sik Demands Forced End to Filibuster... People Power Party's Protest Turns Chaotic

Before the vote on the special act, Speaker Woo Won-sik demanded the People Power Party, which had started a filibuster the day before, to end the debate. However, the ruling party continued the debate, leading to a standoff and chaos in the plenary session hall.

At 3:50 p.m. that day, Speaker Woo requested Representative Kwak Gyu-taek of the People Power Party, saying, "The unlimited debate on the Marine Corps Special Act has lasted over 24 hours. Please conclude the debate." In response, Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho of the People Power Party said, "Since Representative Kwak's speech is ongoing, it cannot be stopped," and that the speech could continue.

Democratic Party members in the plenary session shouted "Stop it" and "Step down." Even so, when Representative Kwak continued speaking, the volume of protests increased with shouts like "We said stop" and "Expel him." Floor Leader Choo and People Power Party members gathered in front of the podium to protest, leading to clashes between ruling and opposition party members.

The Democratic Party sent notices to each member, requesting immediate entry into the plenary session hall to prepare for the upcoming votes to end the unlimited debate and on the special act.

Speaker Woo Won-sik is reviewing a booklet on the National Assembly Act after requesting the end of unlimited debate by Assemblyman Kwak Gyu-taek at the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 4th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

President Yoon Likely to Exercise Veto Power... Preparing for Re-vote

The Special Act on Sergeant Chae Sang-byeong, which passed the National Assembly plenary session, will be sent to the government. President Yoon Seok-yeol is highly likely to exercise his veto power within 15 days. If the veto is exercised, the special act will return to the National Assembly for a re-vote. The key issue lies after the special act returns to the National Assembly. Since the possibility of rejection is high upon re-vote, political calculations regarding gains and losses are expected to intensify.

First, the likelihood of rejection in the re-vote is high because the approval criteria are stricter than during the plenary session. For a re-vote on a vetoed bill, a majority of the total members must be present, and two-thirds (200 seats) of those present must approve. Even if all opposition party votes are combined, it totals 192 seats, falling short by 8 votes. This repeats the scenario of 'opposition party sole approval → presidential veto → National Assembly re-vote → rejection' seen in the 22nd National Assembly.

Various opinions have emerged from both ruling and opposition parties regarding the re-vote. The Innovation Party proposed a compromise to pass the special act, suggesting that the ruling party accept one special prosecutor candidate recommended by non-negotiating parties. In this case, figures such as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the Korean Bar Association are mentioned. Former Emergency Committee Member Han Dong-hoon of the People Power Party proposed a 'third-party recommended special prosecutor,' intending to overcome the crisis with a neutral third-party special prosecutor. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party insists on passing the special act according to National Assembly procedures. A Democratic Party official said only, "We are considering extraordinary measures to prevent the rejection of the special act." Within the party, there is a plan to raise pressure on the ruling party to the highest level by consecutively submitting the Special Act on Sergeant Chae Sang-byeong, the 'Broadcasting Three Acts,' and the 'Broadcasting and Communications Commission Act Amendment.'

President Yoon Suk-yeol's Remarks at the Cabinet Meeting
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Jin Seong-cheol = President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the cabinet meeting held on July 2, 2024, at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul. [Provided by the Presidential Office. Resale and DB prohibited]
zjin@yna.co.kr
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Extreme Partisan Conflict... People Power Party to Boycott and Postpone National Assembly Opening Ceremony on the 5th

The People Power Party announced its intention to boycott the National Assembly opening ceremony scheduled for the next day in protest against the opposition's forced passage of the special act. In response, the Speaker's office postponed the opening ceremony. From the opening ceremony of the 22nd National Assembly, the extreme confrontation between ruling and opposition parties has escalated to the point of delaying the ceremony.

Floor Leader Choo said, "Unless the Democratic Party, which turned the National Assembly into a place of intimidation today, and Speaker Woo Won-sik reflect and change their attitude, the People Power Party clearly states that it cannot participate in the 22nd National Assembly opening ceremony originally scheduled for the 5th."

He added, "In a reality where the Democratic Party shakes the rule of law by attempting to impeach prosecutors investigating former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung and destroys the National Assembly with unilateral agendas, the opening ceremony has no meaning or value. We also do not want President Yoon Seok-yeol to be invited to an opening ceremony without the ruling party," raising his voice.

Chu Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, is protesting Speaker Woo Won-sik's demand to stop the unlimited debate (filibuster) during the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 4th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@