The Double Special Prosecutor Act (Special Prosecutor Act on Treason and Kim Geon-hee) promoted by the Democratic Party of Korea was discarded on the 8th after failing to pass the plenary session of the National Assembly.
On the same day, the National Assembly announced that the Special Prosecutor Act on Treason, aimed at investigating President Yoon Seok-yeol's treason charges, was rejected with 300 members present, 198 in favor, 101 against, and 1 abstention. The Special Prosecutor Act on Kim Geon-hee was also rejected with 300 members present, 196 in favor, 103 against, and 1 invalid vote. Both special prosecutor bills required approval by two-thirds (200 seats) of the total members in a re-vote but were ultimately blocked by opposition from ruling party members and failed.
The Double Special Prosecutor Act had previously passed the plenary session on the 12th of last month but was vetoed and sent back for a re-vote on the 31st by Choi Sang-mok, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance. At that time, Acting Prime Minister Choi opposed it, stating, "Since the special prosecutors are to be recommended by the Democratic Party and a non-negotiating group respectively, it has greater unconstitutionality than previous special prosecutor laws where the Supreme Court recommended and the opposition party could veto."
The Democratic Party plans to immediately reintroduce the Double Special Prosecutor Act. Hwang Jeong-ah, the Democratic Party floor spokesperson, said, "We plan to include foreign exchange crimes in the special prosecutor's jurisdiction and expand the scope of investigation, aiming to reintroduce it before the Lunar New Year."
Major contentious bills between the ruling and opposition parties, including the 'Agriculture Four Acts' (Amendments to the Grain Management Act, Agricultural and Fishery Products Price Stabilization Act, Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Countermeasures Act, and Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Insurance Act), as well as amendments to the National Assembly Act and the Act on Testimony, Inspection, and Production of Documents at the National Assembly, were all rejected and discarded after re-votes. The Grain Management Act, led by the opposition, mandates the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to compulsorily purchase surplus rice in the event of a sharp drop in rice prices. The government and ruling party have opposed the Grain Management Act citing concerns over rice oversupply.
The amendment to the National Assembly Act, which would abolish the automatic referral system of the budget bill to the plenary session, was also discarded. Additionally, the partial amendment to the Act on Testimony, Inspection, and Production of Documents at the National Assembly failed to pass. This bill aimed to expand the scope of witnesses subject to summons from national audits and investigations to include "important agenda reviews and hearings," and stipulated that requests for submission of materials or attendance by the National Assembly cannot be refused on grounds such as personal information protection or trade secret protection.
At the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 8th, the rejection of the reapproval of the Special Investigation Act on Internal Insurrection was announced. Photo by Kim Hyun-min
Democratic Party to Re-push Special Prosecutor Act... "Disband the People Power Party Shielding Treason"
After the Double Special Prosecutor Act was finally discarded following the re-vote in the National Assembly plenary session, Democratic Party lawmakers shouted slogans such as "Disband the People Power Party, the burden of the people and the enemy of the Constitution."
Park Chan-dae, the Democratic Party floor leader, said at a condemnation rally held at the National Assembly in the afternoon, "It has been confirmed that there are not even eight lawmakers with conscience and conviction within the People Power Party." He added, "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah perished because there were not ten righteous people, the People Power Party will also perish." Sodom and Gomorrah are cities mentioned in the Old Testament Book of Genesis, destroyed due to wickedness and the absence of ten righteous people. As a devout Protestant, he quoted the Bible to directly criticize the People Power Party. With 300 members present, the re-voted bill would have required 8 additional votes beyond the 192 opposition votes to pass.
Park also claimed, "There were serious violations of the Constitution and laws, and opposing investigation and punishment for these can only be done by accomplices of treason." Immediately after the two special prosecutor bills were rejected, Democratic Party lawmakers left the plenary session and gathered on the steps in front of the National Assembly main building holding placards that read "Disband the People Power Party Shielding Treason."
At the condemnation rally, Democratic Party lawmakers criticized the People Power Party as a "party colluding with treason," "unconstitutional party," "enemy of the Constitution," and "burden of the people." They chanted slogans three times, emphasizing "Immediately arrest 'the ringleader of treason' Yoon Seok-yeol."
The Democratic Party announced it would re-push the Special Prosecutor Act on Treason, while the Innovation Party for Justice announced it would re-push the Special Prosecutor Act on Kim Geon-hee. They intend to reintroduce the bills and go through the National Assembly plenary session approval process again.
Members of the Democratic Party of Korea came forward to the plenary hall on the 8th to condemn the People Power Party after the special investigation bills on the internal rebellion and Mrs. Kim Geon-hee were rejected following a re-vote at the National Assembly plenary session. Photo by Kim Hyun-min
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