The People Power Party requested the government on the 13th to exercise its right to demand reconsideration regarding the 'Myung-tae-kyun Special Prosecutor Law' and the amendment to the Broadcasting and Communications Commission Act. The deadline for exercising the veto power for the two bills is until the 15th.
Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the People Power Party, stated during a meeting of lawmakers held before the National Assembly's plenary session that afternoon, “The 15th is the deadline for requesting reconsideration of the Myung-tae-kyun Special Prosecutor Law and the amendment to the Broadcasting and Communications Commission Act,” and added, “I request the acting prime minister to exercise the right to demand reconsideration.”
He noted, “I had hoped that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would return and exercise the right to demand reconsideration, but the Constitutional Court is delaying the impeachment ruling for reasons unknown, making it unavoidable.” He urged, “I ask the acting prime minister to firmly exercise the right to demand reconsideration against the unilateral enforcement of a malicious law by the large opposition party without an agreement from both parties until the last moment.”
The Myung-tae-kyun Special Prosecutor Law, which passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 27th under the leadership of the opposition party, contains provisions for appointing a special prosecutor to investigate illegal election interference and state affairs manipulation related to Mr. Myung-tae-kyun, including public opinion manipulation suspicions and intervention in candidate nominations during the last presidential and local elections.
The Broadcasting and Communications Commission Act stipulates that the minimum quorum for meetings of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission is three members, with the majority vote required for resolutions. The Democratic Party has argued that the current Broadcasting and Communications Commission Act lacks regulations on quorums, which contradicts the purpose of establishing a consensus-based organization, and has called for institutional improvements.
Floor leader Kweon stated, “During the 22nd National Assembly, the large opposition party proposed a special prosecutor 29 times,” and criticized, “The Myung-tae-kyun Special Prosecutor is nothing new. It is an unconstitutional and strategically motivated special prosecutor filled with various toxic provisions,” adding, “They intend to use unconstitutional and illegal investigative powers and public reporting provisions to wreak havoc on the entire conservative camp while aiming for an early presidential election.”
Regarding the Broadcasting and Communications Commission Act, he condemned that “maintaining a two-person system while changing the quorum for decision-making in the Broadcasting and Communications Commission to three or more would mean attempting to paralyze the entire organization and cause operational paralysis.” He continued, “Not reflecting at all on the dismissal of Broadcasting and Communications Commission Chairperson Lee Jin-sook means aiming to completely paralyze a state organization, which is indeed a violation of the constitution and insurrection.”
Choi Sang-mok, acting president and Minister of Economy and Finance, did not exercise the veto power regarding the two bills during the Cabinet meeting on the 11th. It is reported that he will continue to ponder until the deadline for handling in preparation for the ruling results of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court to be announced this week.