On September 23, the Bill Review Subcommittee 1 of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee reviewed the “Special Court for Insurrection Cases Act,” which would establish a dedicated court to handle three major special prosecutor cases: insurrection, Kim Keonhee, and the death of a Marine in the line of duty. However, the committee was unable to reach a conclusion.
Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties held a meeting that afternoon and, after a lengthy discussion, decided to postpone a final decision on the establishment of the special court for insurrection cases and continue further review. The People Power Party opposed the very creation of a dedicated insurrection court, raising concerns about its constitutionality, while the Democratic Party emphasized that Article 102, Paragraph 3 of the Constitution provides a legal basis for organizing courts by law, asserting that the bill is not unconstitutional.
Kim Yongmin, the Democratic Party lawmaker who chairs Bill Review Subcommittee 1, told reporters after the meeting that regarding the timetable for advancing the special court bill, “We will start with a public hearing and go through various discussion procedures.” Previously, Democratic Party lawmakers Park Chandae and Lee Sungyun each sponsored bills: one proposing a “Special Act on Insurrection” including the establishment of a special court for insurrection cases, and the other proposing the “Special Court for Insurrection Cases Act,” which would create a dedicated court for the three major special prosecutor cases (insurrection, Kim Keonhee, and the death of a Marine in the line of duty).
Chairman Kim explained, “Since both bills have been introduced, even within the Democratic Party, we will need to decide which one to proceed with. We will consult with the party leadership and work to finalize the legislative schedule accordingly.”
The ruling and opposition parties also agreed to continue reviewing proposed amendments to the Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO). Key issues in the proposed amendments include expanding the scope of investigations, increasing personnel, easing the qualifications for prosecutors, and relaxing the rules on reappointment.
Meanwhile, Bill Review Subcommittee 1 approved three amendments to the “Commercial Building Lease Protection Act” and the “Special Act on the Promotion of Litigation.” The amendment to the Commercial Building Lease Protection Act requires the Minister of Justice, in consultation with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, to specify a standard contract form that lists the items for building management fees. The key point of the amendment to the Special Act on the Promotion of Litigation is to expand the scope of compensation orders against those who distribute false videos, such as deepfakes.
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