The Democratic Party of Korea introduced a special counsel bill to investigate allegations that political figures received money and valuables from the Unification Church. The party proposed giving the right to recommend special counsel candidates to the Korean Bar Association and two associations of professors. The Unification Church special counsel bill is expected to pass the National Assembly's plenary session during the December extraordinary session (ends Jan. 8).
On the 26th afternoon, the Democratic Party submitted a bill titled "Act on the Appointment of a Special Counsel for Fact-Finding of Cases Including Political Collusion and Corruption Allegations Involving the Unification Church and Shincheonji" to the National Assembly's bill office.
The Democratic Party's Unification Church special counsel bill differs in investigative targets from the Unification Church special counsel bill introduced by the People Power Party and the Reform Party. The Democratic Party said the Unification Church special counsel should focus on "church-state collusion" and included Shincheonji along with the Unification Church as subjects of investigation. Previously, the People Power Party and the Reform Party specified in their bill that the investigative scope of the Unification Church special counsel would include allegations of receiving money and valuables from the Unification Church and the concealment, quashing, or delay of the Kim Keon-hee special counsel investigation.
Specifically, the Democratic Party's special counsel bill identifies as investigative targets: ▲ allegations of illegal lobbying of political circles by those connected to the Unification Church and Shincheonji ▲ allegations of illegal involvement in projects such as official development assistance and the Korea-Japan undersea tunnel ▲ allegations of organized party membership drives using church members and illegal interference in political parties and public office elections ▲ allegations of preferential treatment in permitting processes for facilities.
Deputy Floor Leader Moon said, "We judge that leaving out Shincheonji while uncovering alleged church-state collusion risks a half-baked investigation," and added, "Special Counsel Min Joong-ki was not included as an investigative target. Because (the alleged delay in investigation) falls within Special Counsel Min Joong-ki's discretion, we do not view it as a criminal suspicion."
Special counsel candidates will be recommended by three organizations through a "third-party recommendation" method. The three are the Korean Bar Association, the Korean Association of Law Professors, and the Council of Law School Deans. The investigative team will consist of one special counsel, up to three assistant special counsels, up to 30 prosecutors on detail, up to 60 public officials, and up to 60 special investigators. The investigation period is in principle 90 days, but can be extended to up to 170 days including a 20-day preparation period and an extension of up to 60 days.
The Democratic Party plans to pass the Unification Church special counsel bill by Jan. 8, when the December extraordinary session ends. If there is no agreement with the People Power Party on the investigative scope and other issues, the party is expected to move forward on its own. If the Democratic Party's bill passes, Special Counsel Min Joong-ki, who faces allegations of delaying investigations into figures from the ruling camp, would be excluded from the investigative targets.
Rep. Lee Yong-woo, who heads the Democratic Party's legal committee, said, "Because political circles could spark unnecessary controversy in the recommendation process for the special counsel and undermine acceptance of future investigative results, our party decided not to be involved," adding, "We see the demand to investigate Special Counsel Min Joong-ki as political offensive."