The floor leadership of the ruling and opposition parties each introduced a bill for a special counsel (special prosecutor) probe into the Unification Church gate and agreed to negotiate on the right to recommend the special counsel and the scope of the investigation. Regarding the "Coupang joint hearing" being pushed by the Democratic Party of Korea, the People Power Party is calling for a parliamentary investigation, so they agreed to discuss it again later.
Democratic Party floor leader Kim Byung-kee and People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seog met at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 22nd to discuss the Unification Church special counsel and the Coupang joint hearing. The meeting was arranged after floor leader Kim said the opposition's proposed "Unification Church special counsel" would be accepted.
The two parties settled on a direction in which each party will introduce a bill related to the Unification Church special counsel, a key agenda item, and then negotiate the details.
Senior deputy floor leader Kim said, "Regarding the Unification Church special counsel, the People Power Party has already discussed a bill with the Reform Party, and a compromise is underway, so we can introduce (the special counsel bill) as early as tomorrow," adding, "We hope the Unification Church special counsel will proceed within the year after going through consultation procedures with the Democratic Party of Korea."
On the Coupang hearing, the Democratic Party of Korea proposed a "joint hearing" to be conducted by four standing committees, while the People Power Party proposed a "parliamentary investigation" led by a special committee of the National Assembly. The People Power Party also argued that, because there are people who suffered harm, the government should take measures such as a business suspension or a penalty surcharge.
Senior deputy floor leader Moon said, "Regarding the Coupang joint hearing, the People Power Party's position is that enough hearings have already been held and government measures to remedy the damage are needed," adding, "The Democratic Party of Korea believes the hearings were not sufficient and that a joint hearing is needed to probe Coupang's problems, but the People Power Party said a special committee for a parliamentary investigation should be formed to conduct a parliamentary investigation."
He added, "We agreed to meet again tomorrow (the 23rd) to discuss this issue (the Coupang hearing)."