"Comprehensive Special Counsel Extension Bill" to be Tabled at Afternoon Plenary Session... "Filibuster to Begin"

[Anchor]

A clash is expected between the ruling and opposition parties today, July 20, at the National Assembly over a bill to amend the Special Counsel Act, which would extend the investigation period of the second comprehensive special counsel. As the People Power Party plans to block the Democratic Party's attempt to process the bill through a filibuster, the already strained political situation is expected to freeze further.

Reported by Park Chan-beom.

[Reporter]

The Democratic Party plans to table the amendment to the "Act on the Appointment of a Special Counsel for the Investigation of Insurrection, Foreign Aggression, and State Affairs Manipulation by Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee" at the National Assembly plenary session this afternoon.

This amendment includes provisions to extend the investigation period of the second comprehensive special counsel, which launched in February, by an additional 30 days and to increase the number of dispatched public officials from the current 130 to 150.

The second comprehensive special counsel, which has already had its investigation period extended twice and has been conducting investigations for 145 days so far, would be able to continue its probe until August 23 if this amendment is passed.

The Democratic Party maintains that the extension of the special counsel is necessary for the complete eradication of insurrection and the punishment of those responsible.

[Han Byung-do/Floor Leader of the Democratic Party: "The public's demand is not to end the special counsel on a set date, but to uncover the truth behind the insurrection and state affairs manipulation without a single shred of suspicion."]

The People Power Party strongly protested, claiming that while the Democratic Party advocates for the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights, it is pushing through a special counsel intended to suppress the opposition party.

The People Power Party held a rally to condemn the attempt to extend the special counsel and plans to immediately enter into a legal filibuster once the amendment is brought to the plenary session.

[Jung Jeom-sik/Floor Leader of the People Power Party: "This means they intend to continue the trend of a public security-focused political situation centered on a special counsel that uses the sword of the special counsel to round up a large number of opposition figures and suppress the opposition party."]

Five-term lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, who will be the first speaker, is expected to argue that the Democratic Party is failing to uphold Article 1 of the Constitution, which states that "sovereignty resides in the people, and all state authority emanates from the people."

Although it has been over 50 days since the second half of the National Assembly opened, the normalization of the assembly remains uncertain as the plenary session itself enters a filibuster phase amidst the standoff over the formation of standing committees.

(Video reporting: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video editing: Park Sun-soo)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.