'Reviewing referral to Constitutional Court'
'Laying groundwork to drop charges'
People Power Party lawmaker Kwak Gyu-taek said Thursday that his party would take its fight to the streets even if the Democratic Party of Korea's so-called "fabricated indictment" special prosecutor act passes a plenary session vote.
Kwak, a member of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, made the remarks during an appearance on YTN Radio, saying the PPP's only real option to block the bill in the full chamber was a filibuster. "Even that can barely stop it from passing once a day goes by," he added.
Kwak said the bill was "highly unconstitutional" and that its purpose — to clear the president of wrongdoing — was "all too obvious." "This shakes the very foundation of South Korea's judicial system," he said. "We must exhaust every means of resistance available to us."
Asked whether the party might boycott budget deliberations, Kwak said that option "must be considered," adding that an unlimited filibuster on other legislation should also be on the table.
On the possibility of seeking a referral to the Constitutional Court for a ruling on the act's constitutionality, Kwak said the party was "of course reviewing it." "Anyone under investigation who believes there are unconstitutional elements must seek a constitutional review referral," he said.
Kwak criticized the bill's underlying rationale, saying it covers the Daejang-dong case, the Wirye and Baekhyeon-dong cases, and even the Public Official Election Act violation case that the Supreme Court has already remanded for retrial with a guilty finding. "Is the president not saying he will appoint a special prosecutor to reinvestigate cases involving himself? That is unconstitutional among the unconstitutional," he said.
On the removal of a provision allowing for the withdrawal of indictments, Kwak said the intent was to build a pretext for dropping charges based on the investigation's outcome. "Above all, it is meant to influence the trials that are currently under way," he said.
Turning to the appeals court ruling in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's Public Official Election Act violation case, Kwak said the verdict must be "accepted with gravity and solemnity," while noting that a final Supreme Court ruling had yet to come. "This was only the appeals court," he said.
Kwak added that if Wednesday's appeals court ruling is upheld by the Supreme Court, the party would be legally obligated to return 39.7 billion won ($29.6 million). "That is something we must honor as a legitimate political party," he said.
mp1256@heraldcorp.com
