The People Power Party on the 2nd strongly pushed back against the Democratic Party of Korea's plan to pursue a "presidential trial suspension law," calling it "brazen reversal." Just three days after the first-instance ruling in the Daejang-dong development corruption case, the ruling party formalized related legislation, prompting calls to resume President Lee Jae-myung's trial.
Song Eon-seog, the People Power Party floor leader, met with reporters after the party's budget-policy council held at the National Assembly that day. As the Democratic Party appeared to shift responsibility for pushing the presidential trial suspension law onto the People Power Party and the court, Song said, "If (the ruling party) believes that, under the Constitution, trials against a president are naturally suspended, then the very idea of making a separate law conflicts with that," adding, "It looks like they are trying to pass the buck because they are attempting to remake something that has problems."
He added, "It is gravely wrong to say trials will be halted under the unconstitutional notion that there is a hierarchy among powers and that elected power is above appointed power."
The People Power Party also took aim at the Democratic Party's ongoing discussion to "abolish the breach of trust offense." In a commentary, senior floor spokesperson Kwak Gyu-taek said, "Has the Democratic Party lost confidence in the breach of trust trial related to the president, or is it openly declaring an intent to protect the president through political legislation?"
He continued, "The People Power Party has consistently argued for reducing the vagueness and over-application of the breach of trust offense, but the Democratic Party's aim is to neutralize the president's trial at the root," adding, "The Democratic Party must stop the brazen act of trying to amend the law now to erase the president's crimes."
Chief spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon also said in a commentary, "The Daejang-dong project has been revealed by a court ruling to be 'the largest major crime since Dangun.' It is a decisive finding showing 'Lee Jae-myung is guilty,'" stressing, "The stalled trial of President Lee must resume immediately."