The ruling Democratic Party on July 20 introduced a bill in the National Assembly to extend the investigation period for the so-called 'second comprehensive special investigation.' In response, the People Power Party gathered outside the assembly to condemn the Democratic Party's unilateral handling of the bill. They also initiated a filibuster against the special investigation law amendment.
The Democratic Party presented the 'Partial Amendment to the Act on the Appointment of Special Prosecutors for Investigating the Insurrection, Foreign Exchange, and State Affairs Manipulation by Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Geon-hee' during the plenary session. The amendment allows for a 30-day extension of the investigation period for the second comprehensive special investigation. Additionally, it includes provisions to add interference with audits by public officials as a subject of investigation, specifies 'obstruction of justice' in the scope of related cases, increases the limit on dispatched public officials from 130 to 150, allows for the designation of up to 10 prosecutors to maintain charges, and mandates the provision of investigation records from the three major special prosecutors to the comprehensive special investigation.
Before the plenary session, Han Byeong-do, the Democratic Party's floor leader, held a meeting with party members and stated, "The second comprehensive special investigation has been doing its utmost to root out insurrection under difficult conditions. We cannot stop the investigation due to the abundance of suspicions and time constraints." He urged the People Power Party to cease its short-sighted political struggle that defends insurrection for immediate political gain and to cooperate in normalizing the National Assembly. He also mentioned plans to improve the system by strengthening filibuster requirements and shortening the fast-track processing period to create a more functional National Assembly.
In response to the introduced bill, the People Power Party launched a filibuster. Yoon Sang-hyun, the first speaker in the unlimited debate, criticized, "What is the special investigation if the period keeps getting extended? It essentially becomes a permanent investigative agency. It is a violation of the rule of law in South Korea for a law meant to control exceptions to be used as a means to allow exceptions."
He added, "I do not oppose the investigation itself, but it is being conducted excessively. I oppose the use of a temporary and exceptional special investigation as a tool for political revenge under the guise of fact-finding."
In addition to the filibuster, a protest rally against the Democratic Party's unilateral operation of the National Assembly was also held. Jung Jeom-sik, the floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized, "The Democratic Party is trampling on the fundamental principles of dialogue and compromise, operating a 'legislative runaway' like a runaway train. We strongly condemn the ruling party's arrogance in pushing through legislation with force in a National Assembly that has not even completed its formation, extending a state of public security for the purpose of suppressing the opposition."
Representative Shin Dong-wook stated, "We have unleashed the hunting dog of political revenge in the form of a comprehensive special investigation, yet there have been no results. We may have to face this monster of a special investigation throughout the Lee Jae-myung administration. With national tasks piling up in all areas of politics and society, we must stop the special investigation politics that incites insurrection."
Meanwhile, shortly after the unlimited debate began, the Democratic Party submitted a motion to conclude the debate. According to National Assembly law, a vote will be held anonymously 24 hours after the submission of the motion to conclude the unlimited debate, and if more than two-thirds of the members present agree, the filibuster will be forcibly terminated.
The Democratic Party presented the 'Partial Amendment to the Act on the Appointment of Special Prosecutors for Investigating the Insurrection, Foreign Exchange, and State Affairs Manipulation by Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Geon-hee' during the plenary session. The amendment allows for a 30-day extension of the investigation period for the second comprehensive special investigation. Additionally, it includes provisions to add interference with audits by public officials as a subject of investigation, specifies 'obstruction of justice' in the scope of related cases, increases the limit on dispatched public officials from 130 to 150, allows for the designation of up to 10 prosecutors to maintain charges, and mandates the provision of investigation records from the three major special prosecutors to the comprehensive special investigation.
Before the plenary session, Han Byeong-do, the Democratic Party's floor leader, held a meeting with party members and stated, "The second comprehensive special investigation has been doing its utmost to root out insurrection under difficult conditions. We cannot stop the investigation due to the abundance of suspicions and time constraints." He urged the People Power Party to cease its short-sighted political struggle that defends insurrection for immediate political gain and to cooperate in normalizing the National Assembly. He also mentioned plans to improve the system by strengthening filibuster requirements and shortening the fast-track processing period to create a more functional National Assembly.
In response to the introduced bill, the People Power Party launched a filibuster. Yoon Sang-hyun, the first speaker in the unlimited debate, criticized, "What is the special investigation if the period keeps getting extended? It essentially becomes a permanent investigative agency. It is a violation of the rule of law in South Korea for a law meant to control exceptions to be used as a means to allow exceptions."
He added, "I do not oppose the investigation itself, but it is being conducted excessively. I oppose the use of a temporary and exceptional special investigation as a tool for political revenge under the guise of fact-finding."
In addition to the filibuster, a protest rally against the Democratic Party's unilateral operation of the National Assembly was also held. Jung Jeom-sik, the floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized, "The Democratic Party is trampling on the fundamental principles of dialogue and compromise, operating a 'legislative runaway' like a runaway train. We strongly condemn the ruling party's arrogance in pushing through legislation with force in a National Assembly that has not even completed its formation, extending a state of public security for the purpose of suppressing the opposition."
Representative Shin Dong-wook stated, "We have unleashed the hunting dog of political revenge in the form of a comprehensive special investigation, yet there have been no results. We may have to face this monster of a special investigation throughout the Lee Jae-myung administration. With national tasks piling up in all areas of politics and society, we must stop the special investigation politics that incites insurrection."
Meanwhile, shortly after the unlimited debate began, the Democratic Party submitted a motion to conclude the debate. According to National Assembly law, a vote will be held anonymously 24 hours after the submission of the motion to conclude the unlimited debate, and if more than two-thirds of the members present agree, the filibuster will be forcibly terminated.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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