Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Han Byung-do, who is also serving as acting party leader, and People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik attend a meeting on National Assembly committee formation convened by Assembly Speaker Jo Jeong-sik at the speaker's office on July 14. [POOL] (Yonhap)
Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Han Byung-do, who is also serving as acting party leader, and People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik attend a meeting on National Assembly committee formation convened by Assembly Speaker Jo Jeong-sik at the speaker's office on July 14. [POOL] (Yonhap)

Tensions between the ruling and opposition parties have reached a peak as the Democratic Party of Korea announced it would push through a vote on an amendment to the second omnibus special prosecutor act, even as negotiations over second-half National Assembly committee formation remain deadlocked. The People Power Party said it would respond with a filibuster if the bill is put to a floor vote.

The Democratic Party plans to convene a plenary session Monday — with or without the PPP — to pass the amendment. The party views Monday as the last viable opportunity, given that the current special prosecutor investigation period expires Friday.

Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do said at a supreme council meeting Monday that "the National Assembly will take up the second omnibus special prosecutor amendment today." He added that halting the investigation while truths remain to be uncovered "runs counter to the public's demand for a complete reckoning with the insurrection and proper punishment of those responsible."

The amendment would extend the special prosecutor's investigation period by 30 days through Aug. 23. It also calls for increasing the number of seconded civil servants from 130 to 150 and designating attorneys to handle prosecution of cases the special prosecutor has already indicted.

The PPP has linked its opposition to the special prosecutor extension with the Democratic Party's push to abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigative authority.

PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik criticized the move at his party's supreme council meeting Monday, saying the Democratic Party intends to "dismantle the prosecution while using the special prosecutor's blade to round up opposition figures en masse and sustain a security-state atmosphere." He also criticized the party for seeking to extend the special prosecutor's investigation period while simultaneously moving to abolish police supplementary investigative authority.

Jeong also raised the issue of a proposed special prosecutor for the National Election Commission, saying the Democratic Party "has never once mentioned a Korean Bar Association recommendation or a third-party recommendation, yet is now pushing that very tactic exclusively for the election commission special prosecutor." He argued the party was extending what he called an "opposition-suppression special prosecutor" — one over which it holds nomination, appointment and extension approval rights — while rejecting an opposition-recommended election commission special prosecutor and pressing ahead with dismantling the prosecution.

The PPP plans to launch a filibuster immediately after the bill is introduced. However, once the Democratic Party submits a closure motion, a termination vote becomes possible after 24 hours, making a prolonged blockade unlikely.

The standoff over the special prosecutor act is also weighing on the committee formation talks. The Democratic Party has signaled it may take over the remaining seven standing committee chairmanships if negotiations drag on further, while the PPP insists it cannot agree to any committee arrangement that does not include the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

The PPP is also exploring cooperation with the Reform Party. Jeong is scheduled to meet Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok for lunch Tuesday to discuss the abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigative authority and the nomination process for the election commission special prosecutor.


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