'Special Investigation Laws on Internal Rebellion, Kim Gunhee, and Chae Sangbyeong' Passed in National Assembly Led by Democratic Party (Comprehensive)

Three Major Special Investigation Laws and Prosecutor Discipline Act Passed in Plenary Session
Some People Power Party Lawmakers Break Party Line to Vote in Favor
People Power Party Without Veto Power... Yoon Investigation Accelerates

The so-called "three major special investigation laws" (the Special Investigation Law on Internal Rebellion, the Special Investigation Law on First Lady Kim Gunhee, and the Special Investigation Law on Chae Sangbyeong) and the amendment to the Prosecutor Discipline Act were passed at the National Assembly plenary session on June 5, led by the Democratic Party.

On this day, the National Assembly held a plenary session in the afternoon and voted on the "Special Investigation Law for the Truth-Finding of State Corruption and Illegal Election Interference Cases Involving Kim Gunhee, Myung Taegyun, and Geonjin Bopsa," the "Special Investigation Law for the Truth-Finding of the Obstruction of Investigation and Cover-up of the Death of a Marine During Duty," and the "Special Investigation Law for the Truth-Finding of Acts of Internal Rebellion and Treason by Former President Yoon Sukyeol," among others.

On the 5th, the National Assembly plenary session is presenting three major special investigation laws including the Special Investigation Law on Internal Rebellion, the Special Investigation Law on First Lady Kim Gunhee, and the Special Investigation Law on Chae Haebyeong, along with the Prosecutor Discipline Act. Yonhap News

The Special Investigation Law on Internal Rebellion, the Special Investigation Law on Kim Gunhee, and the Special Investigation Law on Chae Sangbyeong each passed with 194 votes in favor, 3 against, and 1 abstention out of 198 present members. The amendment to the Prosecutor Discipline Act passed with 185 votes in favor and 17 against out of 202 present members.

The Special Investigation Law on Internal Rebellion concerns the investigation of overall suspicions related to former President Yoon Sukyeol's proclamation of the 12·3 martial law. The special prosecutor candidates are to be recommended by both the Democratic Party and the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, one each, and the president will appoint one of them.

The original bill allowed for the appointment of 4 assistant special prosecutors and 40 dispatched prosecutors, but at the plenary session, the Democratic Party submitted a revised bill allowing for up to 7 assistant special prosecutors and 60 dispatched prosecutors, and this amendment was passed.

The Special Investigation Law on Kim Gunhee combines the previous Myung Taegyun Special Investigation Law and the Kim Gunhee Special Investigation Law, and will investigate issues such as nomination intervention and illegal opinion polls. The Special Investigation Law on Chae Sangbyeong concerns the investigation of the death of a Marine during a search operation for a missing person in July 2023 and suspicions of interference in the investigation. In effect, it targets former President Yoon.

In addition, the amendment to the Prosecutor Discipline Act extends the authority to request disciplinary action against prosecutors, which is currently vested in the Prosecutor General, to the Minister of Justice as well. The amendment also allows the Minister of Justice to instruct the Ministry of Justice's inspector general to investigate specific prosecutors.

Joo Jinwoo, a member of the People Power Party, argued in a speech against the bills before the vote, saying, "The Prosecutor Discipline Act is a retaliatory bill," and criticized it as "a kind of judicial terror that disciplines those who investigated President Lee Jaemyung, holds hearings to disgrace them, and impeaches them to prevent them from working."

The votes on these bills took place with the majority of People Power Party lawmakers absent. The People Power Party had decided to oppose all four bills as a party policy.

However, in the People Power Party, there were dissenting votes in favor of the Special Investigation Law on Chae Sangbyeong by Kim Sohee, Kim Jaeseop, Kim Yeji, Ahn Cheolsoo, Bae Hyunjin, and Han Jia; in favor of the Special Investigation Law on Internal Rebellion by Kim Jaeseop, Kim Yeji, Cho Kyungtae, Ahn Cheolsoo, and Han Jia; and in favor of the Special Investigation Law on Kim Gunhee by Kim Jaeseop, Kim Yeji, Ahn Cheolsoo, Cho Kyungtae, Bae Hyunjin, and Han Jia.

At the People Power Party's general meeting held before the plenary session, it was reported that more than 20 members, including interim leader Kim Yongtae and Kim Jaeseop, argued for a free vote without a party line.

Meanwhile, under the previous administration, the Special Investigation Law on Chae Sangbyeong passed the National Assembly three times, the Special Investigation Law on Internal Rebellion passed twice, and the Special Investigation Law on Kim Gunhee passed four times, but all were discarded due to the exercise of the right of reconsideration (veto) by the Yoon Sukyeol administration. This time, with the Lee Jaemyung administration in office, the laws are expected to be promulgated immediately and the process of appointing special prosecutors to begin.