Four-Day Filibuster Ends... Police Duties Act Amendment on Blocking Anti-North Korea Leaflets Passes

Grounds for Police Intervention in "Anti-North Korea Leaflet Distribution"
Special Court for Insurrection Cases Expected to Be Addressed by Year-End

The amendment to the Police Officers’ Duties Execution Act, which provides grounds for police to take on-site action against the distribution of anti-North Korea leaflets in border areas, passed the National Assembly plenary session on December 14, led by the ruling party. This amendment was the last of the bills that the Democratic Party of Korea had announced it would process over four days starting December 11. With its passage, the first round of the extraordinary session’s filibuster-an unlimited debate used as a legitimate means to delay proceedings-came to a close after three nights and four days.

At the plenary session, the Democratic Party ended the People Power Party’s filibuster against the amendment to the Police Officers’ Duties Execution Act through a vote, and then passed the bill in cooperation with the Rebuilding Korea Party and other opposition parties with pro-government tendencies. The amendment enables police to directly issue warnings or intervene in acts such as the distribution of anti-North Korea leaflets in border areas.

Lee Heunseung, a member of the People Power Party, is starting a filibuster as the amendment to the Banking Act is submitted at the December extraordinary plenary session held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 12th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

This amendment is also linked to the amendment to the Aviation Safety Act, which passed the National Assembly plenary session on December 2. The amendment to the Aviation Safety Act prohibits the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles within controlled areas regardless of the weight of objects attached to them, effectively blocking the use of drones to distribute anti-North Korea leaflets.

The People Power Party has protested this bill, claiming it is a revival of the “anti-North Korea leaflet ban law,” which the Constitutional Court ruled unconstitutional in 2023.

With the passage of the amendment to the Police Officers’ Duties Execution Act, the four-day filibuster standoff between the ruling and opposition parties has paused. However, as the Democratic Party plans to push for another plenary session later this month to process bills opposed by the People Power Party-such as the bill to establish a special court for insurrection cases-the political standoff is expected to continue through the end of the year.

Kim Hyunjung, floor spokesperson for the Democratic Party, told reporters that the schedule for the next extraordinary session is “under discussion with the Speaker of the National Assembly,” adding, “It seems likely to be convened on the 21st or 22nd.” She further explained, “If the plenary session starts on the 21st, we planned to process three bills by the 24th, but if it is convened on the 22nd, it is possible that only two bills will be brought up.” Regarding the bills expected to be submitted at the next plenary session, she said, “There is a high possibility that the bill to establish a special court for insurrection cases will be submitted, and the amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection is also likely,” but added, “Nothing has been finalized yet.”