Democratic Party Tent Protest Enters 3rd Day... Urging Support for Re-vote on 'Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act'

'Cheoreomhwe' Leads Sit-in Urging Acceptance of Special Prosecutor Law
Moon Jung-bok: "Will Reintroduce Bill Even if Reconsideration Fails"

A tent sit-in continues in front of the National Assembly main building, led by the Democratic Party of Korea's pro-Lee Jae-myung faction group 'Cheoreomhoe.' The opposition is urging the People Power Party to hold a re-vote in favor of the Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act and the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act, which the president has vetoed.

The tent sit-in demanding acceptance of the 'Kim Geon-hee and Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Acts' in front of the main gate of the National Assembly entered its third day on the morning of the 2nd. On this day, President Yoon Seok-yeol exercised his veto power against the two special prosecutor acts. The sit-in, which began on the 30th of last month, was originally planned to be held overnight inside the Rotunda Hall, but was changed to setting up a tent near the entrance after being refused due to security reasons on the premises. The sit-in is led by Cheoreomhoe members including Kim Yong-min, the deputy floor leader for policy, and is joined by the Party for People's Innovation, Progressive Party, Basic Income Party, and Social Democratic Party. The opposition continues protests daily from 9 a.m. until late afternoon until the re-vote date.

The tent protest demanding the acceptance of the 'Kim Geon-hee and Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act,' led by the Democratic Party of Korea, entered its third day on the morning of the 2nd. Democratic Party lawmaker Moon Jeong-bok is attending and guarding the protest site. Photo by Oh Ji-eun joy@

At 9 a.m. when the tent was set up, Moon Jeong-bok, a Democratic Party lawmaker (re-elected, Siheung-si Gap, Gyeonggi Province), was the first to take his place. Moon is a member of Cheoreomhoe. He said, "I think more than 30 lawmakers will participate," adding, "We did a 86-day sit-in during the double special prosecutor acts before. We have that know-how." During the 21st National Assembly from February to April 2023, the Democratic Party also held protests demanding the passage of the 'Daejang-dong 5 billion Club Special Prosecutor Act' and the 'Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act.' In May, first-term lawmakers, while still in the status of elected officials, conducted a sit-in urging the passage of the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act.

The Democratic Party is pushing again for the two special prosecutor acts, which were previously discarded due to the president's veto and failure of re-approval, in the 22nd National Assembly. When asked if they would reintroduce the bills if re-approval fails, Moon said, "Yes," adding, "Stories related to Mrs. Kim Geon-hee will continue to emerge."

After the government passed a request for reconsideration of the Kim Geon-hee and Chae Sang-byeong special prosecutor laws, five opposition party lawmakers began a tent sit-in protest on the afternoon of the 30th of last month. On the morning of the 1st, Democratic Party lawmakers Jo Gye-won (from left), Kim Yong-min, Kwon Hyang-yeop, and Noh Jong-myeon shouted slogans urging the acceptance of the special prosecutor law in front of the National Assembly main building. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The plenary session for the re-vote on the bills is expected to be held on the 4th. The Democratic Party is accelerating the bill's passage, concerned that the statute of limitations for the Public Official Election Act will expire on the 10th. They plan for the bill to pass quickly in order to address the allegations of Mrs. Kim's interference in the April 10 general election nominations.