Bill to Extend 'Comprehensive Special Counsel' Probe Tabled; Ruling Party Launches Filibuster

[Anchor]

A bill to amend the Special Counsel Act, which would extend the investigation period for the second comprehensive special counsel, has been tabled at the National Assembly plenary session under the leadership of the pan-ruling bloc. The People Power Party has launched an unlimited debate, or filibuster, labeling it a "special counsel for suppressing the opposition party."

Reporter Kim Bo-mi has the story.

[Reporter]

The amendment to the second comprehensive special counsel bill was tabled at the National Assembly plenary session on the afternoon of July 20, led by the pan-ruling bloc.

The bill includes provisions to extend the investigation period by 30 days and increase the number of dispatched officials from 130 to 150.

The second comprehensive special counsel, launched with the aim of investigating unresolved aspects of the "three major special counsel" cases—including the insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, and Marine Corps Corporal Chae cases—has already had its activity period extended twice since its launch in February and was scheduled to conclude on July 24.

The Democratic Party emphasized that the extension is necessary, stating that the special counsel's investigation into key figures of the insurrection is entering a critical phase.

[Han Byung-do / Democratic Party Floor Leader: We cannot stop a special counsel investigation that is currently in full swing just because of time constraints.]

The People Power Party launched an unlimited debate, or filibuster, to oppose the bill's passage, arguing that the government has been conducting nothing but "special counsel for suppressing the opposition party" for over 400 days since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

[Jeong Jeom-sik / People Power Party Floor Leader: This is an extension of a public security-driven political climate and a legislative tyranny that clearly demonstrates the contradictions and hypocrisy of the Lee Jae-myung administration.]

Representative Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party, who was the first speaker, argued that the special counsel has degenerated into a "permanent political retaliation agency."

[Yoon Sang-hyun / People Power Party Representative: (This is) a case that clearly shows that (the Lee Jae-myung administration) is uniquely abusing special counsel as a tool for political retaliation.]

On the other hand, Representative Kim Han-kyu of the Democratic Party, who took the podium as the second speaker, countered that it is a conflict of interest for People Power Party lawmakers, who are under investigation for charges of obstructing arrests, to engage in opposition debates.

[Kim Han-kyu / Democratic Party Representative: Isn't the opposition to the extension of the comprehensive special counsel intended to block investigations into their own party members?]

Once 24 hours of the unlimited debate have passed, if more than 180 lawmakers from the pan-ruling bloc vote in favor, the debate will be forcibly concluded and a vote on the bill will take place today.

Reported by Lee Seung-hwan and Shin Dong-hwan | Video edited by Park Sun-soo | Designed by Lee Jong-jung
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.