Third Special Prosecutor Act Forced to Pass in Plenary Session on 14th
Special Activity Funds Fully Cut... Ruling Party Calls It "Retaliatory Cut"
The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee will move forward on the so-called 'Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act' led by the opposition party on the 8th.
On the same day, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee will hold a plenary meeting in the morning and present 34 bills, including the "Act on the Appointment of a Special Prosecutor for the Truth Investigation of Stock Price Manipulation Cases Involving Kim Geon-hee, Spouse of President Yoon Seok-yeol." The third version of the Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act adds suspicions related to Mr. Myeong Tae-gyun and allegations concerning the relocation of the presidential office and residence, in addition to the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation suspicion, luxury handbag bribery allegations, and suspicions of state affairs and personnel interference.
The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, plan to push for the bill's passage at the plenary session on the 14th, as President Yoon Seok-yeol effectively rejected the Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act in his statement the day before. If the Special Prosecutor Act passes the plenary session but is returned to the National Assembly due to the president's veto power, the opposition plans to pressure the ruling party for a re-vote in the National Assembly on the 28th.
Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, stated at the party's Supreme Council meeting that day, "I was stunned by President Yoon's shameless rhetoric that the special prosecutor is unconstitutional, despite having participated in the Park Geun-hye special prosecutor investigation," and insisted on pushing the Special Prosecutor Act, saying, "There is only one reason for rejecting the special prosecutor: it means there are many crimes committed."
Jeong Cheong-rae, Chairman of the National Assembly Judiciary Committee, is striking the gavel at the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 8th.
On the same day, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee will also approve the 2025 budget proposals for six affiliated institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the Supreme Court. The committee's budget subcommittee fully cut the Ministry of Justice's special activity expenses of 8.09 billion won for prosecutorial activities and the Board of Audit and Inspection's special activity expenses of 1.5 billion won. Additionally, the prosecution's specific task expenses of 50.6 billion won and the Board of Audit and Inspection's special task expenses of 4.5 billion won were excluded from the budget proposal. The Ministry of Justice's prosecution deputy director submitted a resignation in protest against the National Assembly's cut of the prosecution's investigation budget, the specific task expenses.
Ruling party members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee protested Chairman Jung's mention of budget cuts. Joo Jin-woo, a member of the People Power Party, criticized, "I cannot understand if this is a retaliatory budget cut held hostage by public officials' misconduct investigations," adding, "This goes beyond shaking the core and important work of the related departments under the Legislation and Judiciary Committee; it is an attempt to paralyze their work, and I believe the public will judge this."
Jung Cheong-rae, chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, directly responded, saying, "I think the prosecution deputy director's resignation as a protest is not something he should be responsible for," and added, "The top officials who have ruined the prosecution like this should take responsibility. Whether it is the Minister of Justice or the president who is a former Prosecutor General, they should put their hand on their heart and reflect on this matter."
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