[Anchor]

At the National Assembly, a filibuster has been underway for 20 hours over the so-called "Fabricated Indictment Allegations Special Counsel Bill." The Democratic Party criticized the People Power Party for stalling the bill even after the special counsel's authority to withdraw indictments was removed, while the People Power Party is continuing its unlimited debate, calling the measure mere "word manipulation."

Jang Min-seong reports.

[Reporter]

Yesterday (November 5) at 4 p.m., when the so-called "Fabricated Indictment Allegations Special Counsel Bill" was introduced to the National Assembly's plenary session led by the pan-ruling coalition, the People Power Party immediately launched an unlimited debate, or filibuster.

The filibuster continued past midnight and remains underway today.

[Joo Jin-woo / People Power Party Lawmaker: "Can you really say with confidence that the special counsel bill has nothing to do with dropping charges against (President) Lee Jae-myung?"]

[Lee Gun-tae / Democratic Party Lawmaker: "This special counsel bill on fabricated indictments is therefore another step in prosecution reform and the restoration of democracy."]

In the final draft introduced to the plenary session, provisions granting the special counsel the authority to decide on maintaining indictments and the right to request case transfers were removed.

The Democratic Party emphasized that the bill is not intended to intervene in existing trials, but rather to uncover whether illegal acts were committed during the investigation, noting that the "authority to withdraw indictments" was also deleted.

The party also criticized the People Power Party for making groundless claims.

[Kim Min-seok / Democratic Party Leader: "The People Power Party, which is conducting a filibuster to obstruct the passage of the bill, is essentially confessing to being an accomplice to the political prosecution that distorted the law and facts and reigned over the people."]

The People Power Party countered that President Lee Jae-myung would directly appoint the special counsel to ultimately dismiss related trials, warning that the Democratic Party will not be able to escape the public's judgment.

[Jeong Jeom-sig / People Power Party Floor Leader: "Calling a special counsel aimed at dropping charges to erase President Lee Jae-myung's criminal trials a 'fabricated indictment special counsel' is nothing but word manipulation to deceive the public."]

As a filibuster can be brought to an end after 24 hours with the approval of at least three-fifths of sitting lawmakers, the special counsel bill is expected to pass around 4 p.m. under the lead of the pan-ruling coalition.

The People Power Party plans to continue its struggle outside parliament, holding a large-scale rally near Gyeongbokgung Station in Seoul tomorrow and convening an on-site Supreme Council meeting in front of the Blue House on November 9.

(Video by Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing by Jeon Min-gyu)