Deadlock Over Recommendation Authority and Scope of Investigation
Democratic Party to Propose Bill Today
As the Democratic Party of Korea accelerates discussions on the special prosecutor bill regarding the Unification Church, both the People Power Party and the Reform Party are ramping up pressure on the ruling bloc. With both the ruling and opposition parties launching political offensives to steer the debate in their favor, the Unification Church special prosecutor issue has emerged as a flashpoint in year-end politics.
On December 26, Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheongrae stated at a press conference held at the National Assembly, "We will propose the Unification Church special prosecutor bill today," adding, "We will ensure that the special prosecutor is recommended by a neutral and trustworthy third-party institution." A key official from the People Power Party commented in a phone interview, "Whatever the content, the Democratic Party needs to present its proposal quickly," and added, "If necessary, the ruling and opposition parties could meet to discuss the matter as early as today."
Until now, the ruling and opposition parties have remained at odds over the Unification Church special prosecutor bill. The main points of contention are who holds the authority to recommend the special prosecutor and the scope of the investigation. The People Power Party and the Reform Party have proposed a joint bill granting the recommendation authority to the National Court Administration under the Supreme Court. In contrast, the Democratic Party opposes giving the authority to the National Court Administration, citing distrust of Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hui-dae. In response, the People Power Party suggested allowing the Reform Party and the Cho Kuk Innovation Party to recommend the special prosecutor, but it is reported that the Democratic Party rejected this as well. Instead, there is discussion of granting the recommendation authority to the Constitutional Court or the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun).
Regarding the main targets of the investigation, opposition parties argue that the probe should cover not only the illegal provision and receipt of political funds by the Unification Church, but also allegations that Special Prosecutor Min Joonggi covered up the investigation. On the other hand, the Democratic Party insists that, rather than focusing on Special Prosecutor Min, the investigation should include allegations related to Shincheonji.
As the ruling and opposition parties fail to narrow their differences, the discussion appears to be escalating into a political offensive. Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, criticized the proposal the previous day, saying, "Granting the recommendation authority to the Constitutional Court or Minbyun means there will be no special prosecutor at all." Cheon Haram, floor leader of the Reform Party, also pointed out on BBS Radio that day, "If the Democratic Party only makes proposals that are difficult to accept, one cannot help but suspect that they have been lobbied more extensively by the Unification Church than expected."
If negotiations with the Democratic Party break down, the opposition bloc plans to intensify its offensive. Measures under consideration include issuing a joint statement or staging a hunger strike, following a meeting between party leaders.
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