People Power Party to Re-discuss 'Martial Law Special Prosecutor' at Tomorrow's Party Meeting... Intra-party Opinion on President Yoon's Arrest Becomes a Variable

Originally Scheduled for the 15th,
Postponed Due to President's Arrest

The People Power Party decided on the 16th at a party caucus meeting to discuss whether to propose the 'Emergency Martial Law Special Prosecutor Act' (tentative name).

People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee Chairman Kwon Young-se and Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong are talking at the emergency members' meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News

Attention is focused on whether the special prosecutor bill can be proposed as scheduled amid heightened party tensions following President Yoon Seok-yeol's arrest on the 15th by the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency on charges including rebellion related to the 'December 3 Emergency Martial Law Incident.'

The People Power Party originally planned to propose the special prosecutor bill on this day, but the schedule was postponed due to the aftermath of President Yoon's arrest.

Park Soo-min, the party's floor spokesperson, after the caucus meeting held following President Yoon's arrest, told reporters regarding the special prosecutor bill, "Due to various circumstances, it seems practically difficult to propose it today," adding, "Since we have declared this as a political party, we will try to keep the schedule as much as possible."

Earlier, on the 14th, the People Power Party announced it would independently propose the 'Martial Law Special Prosecutor Act' in response to the Democratic Party's 'Rebellion Special Prosecutor Act.' The 'Martial Law Special Prosecutor Act' excluded charges related to foreign exchange offenses, propaganda and incitement of rebellion, and related complaints and accusations included in the opposition party's 'Rebellion Special Prosecutor Act.' The 'Rebellion Special Prosecutor Act' was rejected by a margin of just two votes in a re-vote at the National Assembly on the 8th.

However, with President Yoon's arrest on this day, dissatisfaction toward the investigative authorities has exploded mainly among the pro-Yoon faction within the party, raising public opinion questioning whether the ruling party should insist on a special prosecutor. At the party caucus meeting held on the 13th, there was also considerable negative sentiment toward proposing an independent special prosecutor bill. Lawmakers Yoon Sang-hyun, Song Eon-seok, and Jang Dong-hyuk publicly voiced opposition.