Acting Chief Choi Sang-mok Vetoes Dual Special Prosecutor Law... "Unresolved Unconstitutionality"

"Special Prosecutor, Exception to Separation of Powers... Strict Standards Needed"
Double Special Prosecutor Law Returns to National Assembly... Steps Toward Re-vote or Abolition

Yonhap News

Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Choi Sang-mok, who is also the Minister of Economy and Finance, exercised his right to request reconsideration (veto) on the so-called 'Double Special Prosecutor Laws' (General Special Prosecutor Law on Treason and Special Prosecutor Law on Mrs. Kim Geon-hee) on the 31st.

According to the government on that day, Acting President Choi approved the reconsideration request for the two special prosecutor laws that were passed at the Cabinet meeting.

Earlier, the government held a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex Seoul, presided over by Acting President Choi, to review and approve the reconsideration request for the two special prosecutor laws.

With Acting President Choi exercising the veto, the two special prosecutor laws have been sent back to the National Assembly.

If the laws fail to secure the attendance of a majority of the total members and the approval of two-thirds of the attending members in the National Assembly's re-vote, these special prosecutor laws will be discarded.

Since the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, hold 192 seats, there is a high possibility that the laws will be discarded.

However, if eight members of the People Power Party defect, the Double Special Prosecutor Laws could be passed.

Given the strong public demand for a thorough investigation into President Yoon Seok-yeol's emergency martial law and allegations related to Mrs. Kim, there is room for the ruling and opposition parties to find a compromise.

Kwon Young-se, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, said about the Double Special Prosecutor Laws, "We currently oppose the special prosecutor laws, but we are open to discussing special prosecutor laws that remove unconstitutional elements."

In his opening remarks at the Cabinet meeting that day, Acting President Choi pointed out regarding the Special Prosecutor Law on Mrs. Kim, "the special prosecutor bill, which has unresolved constitutional issues, was sent back to the government again. Compared to precedent cases, there has been no improvement in the excessive scale and duration of the investigation, and the scope of investigation targets has rather significantly increased compared to the previous special prosecutor bill."

Regarding the Special Prosecutor Law on Treason, he explained, "it repeats the problems of previous special prosecutor bills, such as undermining the principles of subsidiarity and exceptionality of the special prosecutor system, excessive investigative personnel and investigation period, and it grants the right to recommend special prosecutor candidates only to the opposition party, raising concerns about violating the constitutional principle of separation of powers."

Acting President Choi said, "since the special prosecutor system is an exceptional system under the constitutional principle of separation of powers, a stricter standard is necessary. I urge both ruling and opposition parties to come together once again and devise a reasonable plan that everyone can agree upon."