[Edaily Reporters HEO YUN-SU, Hyera Lee ] The so-called “Special Prosecutor Act on Fabricated Indictments”—which investigates allegations of fabricated indictments by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s prosecution—cleared the National Assembly on the 6th, led by the Democratic Party of Korea. This marks the seventh special prosecutor appointment since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office. The People Power Party has announced its intention to take its protest to the streets.
The ruling bloc, led by the Democratic Party, passed the “Bill on the Appointment of a Special Prosecutor to Investigate Allegations of Fabricated Investigations and Indictments by the Yoon Suk-yeol Administration’s Prosecutors’ Office, National Intelligence Service, and Board of Audit and Inspection” during a plenary session held that day at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, with 167 votes in favor and 1 against out of 168 lawmakers present. While the People Power Party did not participate in the vote, Rep. Lee Ju-young of the Reform Party cast the sole vote against the bill.
The Special Prosecutor Act on Fabricated Indictments, which had been tabled at the plenary session the previous day, was carried over to this day due to a filibuster by the People Power Party. As soon as the People Power Party’s filibuster began, the Democratic Party immediately submitted a motion to end the debate. Around 4:00 p.m. that day—24 hours later—the ruling coalition led the effort to conclude the debate, followed by a vote on the motion to end the open-ended debate and the special counsel bill, ultimately passing the bill at approximately 5:20 p.m.
This marks the seventh special counsel investigation since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office. Previously, the Lee Jae-myung administration launched three major special counsel investigations (regarding the marine who died in the line of duty, the insurrection case, and Kim Keon-hee), a second comprehensive special counsel investigation, a permanent special counsel investigation into Coupang, and a special counsel investigation into the National Election Commission.
Prior to the passage of the special counsel bill, the People Power Party continued a filibuster (unlimited debate) in the plenary chamber to block its passage, while also holding a protest rally in front of the National Assembly’s main building. Although the controversial provision regarding the dismissal of charges was removed from the final version of the bill, the People Power Party did not back down from its criticism that the push for the bill itself was intended to “cancel President Lee Jae-myung’s trial.”
Party Leader Jang Dong-hyuk raised his voice at the rally, stating, “Today, only Lee Jae-myung lives, while the Republic of Korea has died,” and added, “Impeachment is the only answer for a president who has no will to uphold the Constitution.”
Tensions between the ruling and opposition parties also ran high in the plenary chamber that day. While Rep. Kim Min-jeon, the final filibuster speaker, continued his debate, Democratic Party lawmakers entered the chamber one after another, heckling him with remarks such as “Come down now.”
A verbal exchange broke out between Democratic Party lawmakers and Rep. Shin Dong-wook when he entered the chamber to encourage Rep. Kim. When Rep. Shin mentioned “the rule of law in the Republic of Korea,” voices from the Democratic Party benches retorted, “Wasn’t this a baseless indictment intended to carry out political repression?”
When the special counsel bill passed that day, Democratic Party lawmakers clapped and laughed, and some even filmed the vote results.
The People Power Party plans to continue its offensive against the ruling party through protests outside the National Assembly. Starting with a protest rally in front of Gyeongbokgung Station on the 7th, the party has announced that it will hold a meeting of its highest leadership and organize one-person protests in front of the Blue House next week.
The bill takes effect on the date of its promulgation. A special counsel could be appointed as early as the 22nd.
Meanwhile, the scope of the special counsel’s investigation includes: △breach of trust related to the Daejang-dong, Wirye New Town, and Baekhyeon-dong development projects; △violations of the Public Official Election Act related to the Daejang-dong and Baekhyeon-dong development projects; △instigation of perjury by Mr. Kim Jin-sung; △Ssangbangwool’s remittances to North Korea; △bribery related to sponsorship of Seongnam FC; and △the prosecution’s investigation and indictment regarding the use of corporate credit cards by former Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung △ false reports intended to defame former President Yoon Suk-yeol. Some investigations and indictments from the Moon Jae-in administration have also been definitively included in the scope of the probe.
Some observers point out that the possibility of an indirect dismissal of the charges still remains.