Democratic Party Announces Third Vote on 'Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act'... Clash Between Ruling and Opposition Parties

Park Chan-dae "Special Prosecutor Law Accepting People Power Party's Demands"
Ruling Party Claims 'Law for Political Conflict', Likely to Skip Vote
'Deepfake Undercover Investigation' and Others to Be Submitted to the Plenary Session

On the 14th, the Democratic Party of Korea will present the "Special Act on the Appointment of a Special Prosecutor for the Investigation of the Stock Price Manipulation Case Involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee (Kim Keon-hee Special Prosecutor Act)" at the National Assembly plenary session and proceed to a vote. The People Power Party views the special prosecutor law as a "political dispute bill" and is likely to abstain from voting on the day.

Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, stated at the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the same day, "As promised to the people, the Democratic Party will pass the special prosecutor law at today's plenary session." He added, "The Democratic Party has significantly accepted the demands made by the People Power Party and prepared a revised bill." Park also said, "(President Yoon Seok-yeol) If he rejects the Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor law again, the sovereign people will order his dismissal."

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

This is the third time the Democratic Party has attempted to pass the special prosecutor law related to First Lady Kim. On December 28 last year during the 21st National Assembly, and on September 19 this year in the 22nd National Assembly, the Democratic Party and other opposition parties forcibly passed the special prosecutor law, but it was rejected twice in re-votes after President Yoon exercised his veto power.

The Democratic Party narrowed the scope of investigation in the current special prosecutor law to suspicions of First Lady Kim's involvement in stock price manipulation and allegations related to Myung Tae-kyun, and revised the bill so that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a third party, recommends the special prosecutor candidate. However, the bill also includes a so-called "veto right," allowing the opposition party to request a re-nomination if the candidate recommended by the Chief Justice is deemed inappropriate.

The People Power Party opposes the Democratic Party's special prosecutor law, calling it a "political dispute bill with toxic clauses," and is expected to abstain from voting. Han Ji-a, the senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, told reporters after the Supreme Council meeting on the same day, "We expect and will proceed with rejecting the special prosecutor law as part of our floor response."

Meanwhile, the plenary session on the same day will also present a revision bill to the "Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes," which enables undercover investigations into digital sex crimes such as deepfakes. The so-called "Kim Ho-jung Prevention Act," which punishes unconditionally those who drink more alcohol to obstruct police breathalyzer tests, is also expected to be presented, along with a revision bill to the Civil Defense Basic Act that allows the state to compensate for damages caused by North Korea's "filth balloon" dispersal and other incidents.