Special Prosecutor Bill for Chaesangbyeong Submitted to Legal Subcommittee...Ruling Party Lawmakers Absent
Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash Over Martial Law Preparation Allegations
Ruling Party Questions Park Chandae's Speech, "Doubts on Genuine Cooperation"
The People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea have recently clashed over the martial law allegations and the third-party Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor law, exchanging harsh words and casting a shadow over the carefully constructed cooperative front.
On this day, members of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee from opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, tabled the third-party Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor law proposed by the opposition and referred it to the bill review subcommittee. Members from the ruling party who abstained from the vote criticized the referral as a procedural trick, arguing that it was done despite opposition during the meeting to discuss the personnel hearing report on candidate Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung.
The third-party Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor law, proposed the previous day by the five opposition parties including the Democratic Party, stipulates that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court recommends four special prosecutor candidates, and the Democratic Party and non-negotiating opposition parties narrow them down to two, from whom the President appoints one. The ruling party contends that even if the Chief Justice recommends candidates, if the opposition holds veto power, it is no different from the previously proposed opposition-recommended special prosecutor law, calling it merely a nominal Han Dong-hoon-style special prosecutor law.
Moreover, there have been ongoing clashes over suspicions raised by Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung and other Democratic lawmakers regarding the government's martial law preparations. The Democratic Party suspects that individuals from Chung-Ang High School, which President Yoon Suk-yeol graduated from, occupy key positions in military intelligence agencies, but the government and ruling party counter that the Democratic Party is engaging in rumor politics without presenting concrete evidence.
Harsh language has also resurfaced. Earlier, on the 14th, Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Hyun-hee called First Lady Kim Keon-hee a murderer during the 'Impeachment Investigation Hearing of Kim Young-chul, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office' held by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, in relation to the death of a director at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. The People Power Party subsequently submitted a resolution to expel her.
Afterwards, as a cooperative atmosphere developed between the ruling and opposition parties, the harsh words subsided, but they flared up again during the confirmation hearing of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on the 2nd. At that time, People Power Party lawmaker Kang Seon-young remarked, "While reading Lee Jae-myung's Peace Revolution Theory, I was reminded of Lenin's Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, 100 years ago," to which Democratic Party lawmakers retorted by calling her a "crazy person." Subsequently, the Democratic Party demanded Kang's expulsion, while the People Power Party insisted on an apology.
The prosecution investigation into former President Moon Jae-in is also a flashpoint. Recently, the prosecution has designated former President Moon as a suspect in the preferential hiring allegations involving his former son-in-law Seo regarding Thai Starjet. The Democratic Party plans to respond by establishing a countermeasure organization, calling it political retaliation. On the other hand, the People Power Party argues that repeated investigations of a president are a tragedy in modern history but insists that legitimate investigations cannot be halted.
Because of this, concerns are emerging that the cooperative atmosphere established by the ruling and opposition parties may be jeopardized. The policy chiefs of both parties are scheduled to meet on the 6th to form the 'Council for Promoting Common Livelihood Pledges,' agreed upon by Leader Han and Leader Lee. In particular, opposition floor leader Park Chan-dae's speech to the floor negotiation groups on that day hinted at impeachment proceedings against President Yoon, intensifying backlash from the ruling party. Floor spokesperson Park Joon-tae criticized in a verbal comment, "Today's speech by Floor Leader Park cast doubt on the opposition's sincerity to cooperate," adding, "It irresponsibly forgets the role of the major opposition party and shifts all responsibility onto the government and ruling party."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
