Speaker to refer prosecution reform bill to Dec. 3 session

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang said Tuesday that he would allow three of four fasttracked bills including one dealing with the reform the prosecution to be presented to the National Assembly at a plenary session scheduled for Dec. 3. This is in order for the political parties to have time for discussions to narrow their differences on them prior to a vote that could take place as early as Dec.10.

Parliamentary spokesman Han Min-soo said Moon decided to refer the bills to the Assembly following consultations with experts. The bills cover the setting up of an independent prosecutorial division to investigate high-ranking public officials, including the president; and giving additional power — taken from the prosecution — to the police regarding criminal investigations.

“Lawmakers need to be given more time to review the bills to meet the maximum 90-day period for this as it has been 57 days since they were taken over by a special independent committee,” Han told reporters Tuesday.

He added once the bills are referred to the plenary session, Moon wants to put them to a vote as soon as possible within the Dec. 10 deadline for the end of the session.

Separately, an electoral reform bill to add more proportional representation seats in the Assembly will be referred to the plenary session earlier, Nov. 27.

The move comes amid differences between the political parties over the bills that were fast tracked April 30 in a vote boycotted by the main opposition (Liberty Korea Party). The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) wants the bills proceeded with at a plenary session starting today to support President Moon Jae-in’s efforts to reform the prosecution. The LKP, meanwhile, wants the bills to be reviewed independently by the National Assembly Judiciary Committee and then referred to a plenary session in January 2020.

The National Assembly Law stipulates that once a bill is fast-tracked, it should be reviewed by the relevant committees and then the judiciary committee for 180 and 90 days respectively, and put to a vote at a plenary session even if there is no agreement between the political parties.

However, both the major parties have raised objections to the speaker’s decision. DPK floor leader Rep. Lee In-young said it went against principles, but he and the party would discuss the matter further with the other political parties that voted for the fast tracking of the bills. Rep. Na Kyung-won, floor leader of the LKP, said her party also rejected the plan, claiming it was against the law.

Meanwhile, Na criticized the President Moon administration’s economic and security policies, calling them failures and pledging to continue to mount protests against the government.