With the Judiciary Committee, the Democratic Party's Forced Passage of the Internal Rebellion Special Investigation Act Called a "Hasty Bill"

Yoo Sang-beom: "Adding Foreign Exchange Crimes Reflects Pro-North Korea Mindset"
Many Lawmakers Oppose the Special Investigation on Treason Itself

Members of the People Power Party belonging to the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee criticized the Democratic Party of Korea on the 13th for unilaterally passing the Special Investigation Act on Treason in the committee, calling it "a hastily drafted bill with unresolved constitutional issues that have been pointed out so far, and full of toxic provisions."

On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Sang-beom held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office and said, "The bill includes provisions allowing unlimited seizure and search of military secrets or official secrets, and it also contains a public reporting clause that allows the disclosure of suspect facts to the public, which the opposition has strongly opposed."

Yonhap News

The Special Investigation Act on Treason, proposed by the six opposition parties including the Democratic Party on the 9th, stipulates that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court recommends special investigation candidates instead of the ruling and opposition parties, and adds foreign exchange crimes to the scope of investigation. The veto power, which allows the opposition to request the re-nomination of candidates, was excluded. After the bill was rejected in the plenary session last week, the opposition introduced a special investigation bill with a third-party recommendation system and began re-legislation.

Yoo emphasized, "In particular, adding foreign exchange crimes to the investigation targets has led to social controversy," and added, "In short, it reflects a pro-North Korea mindset as it is." He continued, "The bill includes investigation targets such as dispatching troops to overseas conflict zones, operating loudspeakers toward North Korea, distributing leaflets to North Korea, drone infiltration into Pyongyang, and striking the origin of North Korean waste balloons, and mandates investigation of all these."

He further pointed out, "Operating loudspeakers toward North Korea and distributing leaflets are North Korean policies that the Kim Jong-un regime fears the most," and "Adding a foreign exchange frame to this is a self-destructive act that forgets the special security characteristics of the Republic of Korea and is something that North Korea will greatly welcome."

When asked by reporters later about the timing of the ruling party's own special investigation bill on treason, Yoo replied, "I think it should be discussed at today's party meeting." Regarding the question, "Is there a position that a special investigation is possible if the scope of investigation is somewhat reduced at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee level?" he explained, "There has been no separate discussion on that at the committee level, and it will be decided at the party level through discussion at today's party meeting."

Some lawmakers expressed opposition to the special investigation on treason itself. Lawmaker Jang Dong-hyuk said, "Even if the scope of investigation is reduced, if all related cases can ultimately be recognized and investigated, reducing the scope of investigation is meaningless," and added, "Since indictments have already been made against related parties, I believe the investigative agencies have secured objective evidence."

Lawmaker Kwak Kyu-taek said, "There are many lawmakers who oppose the special investigation itself." The People Power Party is holding a party meeting from 3 p.m. on the same day to gather opinions from lawmakers regarding the proposal of their own special investigation bill.