The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee introduced the "Special Prosecutor Act for the Investigation of Judicial Abuse by Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae, etc." led by the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party without fulfilling the deliberation period. Members of the People Power Party's legislative committee opposed this, claiming it was "judicial oppression."
The legislative committee presented the Jo Hee-dae special prosecutor (special investigation) law proposed by Democratic Party member Lee Jae-gang during a full meeting on the morning of the 14th. This bill was proposed on the 12th and failed to complete the 15-day deliberation period.
The special prosecutor law will investigate allegations of judicial abuse by Chief Justice Jo regarding the Supreme Court's remand of the election law violation case involving Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and allegations of election interference. The special prosecutors will be recommended one each by the Democratic Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party, and the investigation period is set to a maximum of 140 days.
Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jeong Cheong-rae of the Democratic Party stated at the full meeting that "the national demand for the Jo Hee-dae special prosecutor law is high," and added, "I hope the judiciary realizes that it cannot block the people's mandate for judicial reform."
At the full meeting that day, amendments to the Constitutional Court Act that would allow for constitutional petitions against Supreme Court rulings, as well as amendments to the Court Organization Act to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from the current 14 to either 30 or 100, were also introduced.
The People Power Party strongly opposed, calling them "bulletproof bills" for the candidate. Members of the People Power Party displayed signs reading "legislative dictatorship" and "judicial oppression" on a laptop for reviewing agenda items.
Representative Cho Bae-suk commented, "Because of the remand ruling against the candidate, a total offensive by the Democratic Party against the judiciary is starting," and asked, "Isn't it the court's and judges' duty to punish and rule against those who have committed crimes, even if they have the support of the people?"