The Legislation and Judiciary Committee's "hearing on prosecution reform legislation" in the National Assembly repeatedly broke down amid clashes between the ruling and opposition parties. The two sides traded sharp barbs even before the hearing began over the "rumored meeting with Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae" and the issue of appointing a People Power Party floor manager. As a result, normal proceedings could not take place, with disparaging remarks, shouting, and orders to leave the chamber.
The committee convened a full session at 10 a.m. on the 22nd and held a "hearing on prosecution reform legislation." The hearing, led by the Democratic Party of Korea, was arranged to press allegations of the "loss of the talisman band for the shaman Geonjin" in connection with the plan to abolish the Prosecutors' Office.
However, the hearing started 30 minutes late after Chairperson Choo Mi-ae took issue with People Power Party leaflets on laptops. People Power Party lawmakers affixed leaflets to their laptops that read, "Political scheme, fake-news factory Democratic Party!" regarding the rumored meeting with the chief justice. The leaflets featured an image of Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo, who raised the meeting allegation.
Before the meeting began, Chairperson Choo said, "Laptops are public property of the National Assembly, and attaching political slogans obstructs the proceedings," adding, "Either remove them yourselves, or National Assembly staff will do so." When staff attempted to remove the leaflets, People Power Party lawmakers tried to block them by holding on to the leaflets.
At the hearing, the People Power Party protested the rejection of lawmaker Na Kyung-won's appointment as floor manager. As the confrontation intensified, Chairperson Choo ordered People Power Party members Na, Song Seok-jun, and Cho Bae-sook to leave the chamber. People Power Party lawmakers refused to leave and requested to make points of order, but Choo did not accept the requests, leading to a commotion.
Barbed remarks were exchanged between the two parties. Aimed at Na, Chairperson Choo said, "Will it be a disaster if the prosecution is reformed? How does doing this help your 'oppa' Yoon Suk-yeol, Representative Na Kyung-won?" She added, "The Legislation and Judiciary Committee has become Representative Na's arena for political struggle and political agitation."
People Power Party lawmaker Song Seok-jun protested, saying, "Are we going to keep up this disgraceful Legislation and Judiciary Committee? Not the 'autumn cho' but the 'disgraceful cho' character is being attached to this committee," and, "There has never been such an ugly dictatorship." Chairperson Choo shot back, "How juvenile." As the hearing room descended into chaos, a scene unfolded in which a witness squeezed between lawmakers to deliver an oath to the chair.
The hearing was recessed multiple times amid the parties' clashes. With shouting unabated, Chairperson Choo declared a recess around 10:50 a.m., about 20 minutes after gaveling in. About 30 minutes later, around 11:20 a.m., the meeting resumed, but People Power Party lawmakers continued protesting around the chair's seat. Democratic Party lawmaker Jun Hyun-hee attempted to question witnesses about the talisman band allegation, but with the uproar not subsiding, the hearing recessed again at 11:36 a.m.
Chairperson Choo warned People Power Party lawmakers, saying, "I warn you that you may be reported for violating the National Assembly Advancement Act." She then reconvened the meeting around 12 p.m., said, "We will prepare separate follow-up measures," and declared another recess.