Government Approves Reconsideration Request for 'Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act'... Yoon to Soon Exercise Veto Rights

Prime Minister Han: "Special Prosecutor Law Adding Unconstitutionality Is Not a Solution"
Yoon on Tour to Soon Exercise Veto via Electronic Approval
Democratic Party Expected to Push for Reconsideration Before Chaesangbyeong's 1st Anniversary

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 9th. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

On the 9th, the government held a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to review and approve a request for reconsideration regarding the Special Prosecutor Act on Corporal Chae Sang-byeong, which was passed by the National Assembly plenary session led by the Democratic Party of Korea. President Yoon Suk-yeol, currently on a visit to the United States, is expected to accept this and exercise his right to request reconsideration (veto) soon.

At the Cabinet meeting held that morning, Prime Minister Han stated, "If the National Assembly pushes the bill again, it is necessary to go through a process of revising and supplementing the issues raised through consultations between the ruling and opposition parties. Doing so aligns with the constitutional principle of separation of powers and the spirit of parliamentary democracy." He added, "However, the opposition party has instead forcibly passed a bill with even greater unconstitutionality on its own."

He further emphasized, "A Special Prosecutor Act that adds unconstitutionality to unconstitutionality cannot be a solution," and expressed hope that "the spirit of dialogue and agreement between the ruling and opposition parties will be restored soon, ending the vicious cycle of legislative dominance by the major opposition party and the government's exercise of the right to request reconsideration."

Since the request for reconsideration was approved at the Cabinet meeting that day, President Yoon is also expected to endorse it soon. Although President Yoon is on a trip from the 8th to the 12th to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, electronic approval of the agenda items approved at the Cabinet meeting is possible.

The Special Prosecutor Act on Corporal Chae Sang-byeong was sent to the government on the 5th, so constitutionally, President Yoon has until the 20th of this month to exercise his veto. However, given the clear stance that the act is unconstitutional, the administration has decided to promptly exercise the veto without delay.

The Presidential Office previously stated on the 4th, after the Special Prosecutor Act on Corporal Chae Sang-byeong passed the National Assembly plenary session again following the 21st National Assembly, that "it has returned as an unconstitutional Special Prosecutor Act layered with unconstitutionality," and expressed "regret over the shameful violation of the constitution in the history of the constitutional government."

Especially since the police announced the investigation results of Corporal Chae’s death in the line of duty the day before, the Presidential Office is expected to continue pushing the existing position that "a special prosecutor is unnecessary."

The Democratic Party anticipates that if President Yoon exercises his veto on this day, they will push for reconsideration before the first anniversary of Corporal Chae’s death on the 19th. To pass the reconsideration, a majority of the total members must be present, and two-thirds or more of the attending members must approve. If eight or more of the 108 members of the People Power Party defect, the Democratic Party can meet the conditions for passing the reconsideration vote.