The National Assembly on the 20th held a plenary session and passed three recommendations for special inspector candidates and an amendment to the National Assembly Act to shorten the review period for fast-track (expedited agenda) bills.
◇ Recommendations for special inspector candidates Choi Yong-hoon, Choi Gil-su, and Kang Ji-sik pass
Recommendations naming attorney Choi Yong-hoon of K1 Chamber, attorney Choi Gil-su of Basis, and attorney Kang Ji-sik of Baeksong as special inspector candidates passed the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 20th. President Lee will appoint one of the three candidates recommended by the National Assembly as the special inspector.
The National Assembly opened a plenary session that afternoon and approved the recommendation for candidate Choi Yong-hoon with 238 in favor, 16 against, and 3 abstentions out of 257 present. The recommendation for candidate Choi Gil-su passed with 237 in favor, 17 against, and 3 abstentions, and the recommendation for candidate Kang Ji-sik passed with 231 in favor, 24 against, and 2 abstentions.
All three candidates are former prosecutors. Candidate Choi Yong-hoon (Judicial Research and Training Institute class 27) was recommended by the Korean Bar Association. Choi, a former prosecutor, served as a prosecutor in the Ministry of Justice's International Legal Affairs Division and as human rights policy officer at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. Candidate Choi Gil-su (class 23), recommended by the Democratic Party of Korea, served in the special investigations division at the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, as head of the Andong branch of the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, and in the inspection division of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office. Candidate Kang Ji-sik (class 27), recommended by the People Power Party, served as a prosecutor in the special investigations division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and the special investigations division at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office.
The special inspector, created under the Park Geun-hye administration, is an independent body to oversee the president's spouse, relatives within the fourth degree, and senior Blue House officials at the senior secretary level or higher. However, after first special inspector Lee Seok-su stepped down in September 2016, no successor was appointed, leaving the post vacant for 10 years.
President Lee Jae-myung on Apr. requested that the appointment process for the special inspector be initiated. The National Assembly recommends three candidates from among attorneys with at least 15 years of experience. This time, the National Assembly asked the Korean Bar Association to recommend candidates, leading the Democratic Party of Korea, the People Power Party, and the Korean Bar Association each to recommend one person.
◇ "Fast-track review 330 days → 90 days" amendment to the National Assembly Act also passes
An amendment to the National Assembly Act to shorten the review period for fast-track (expedited agenda) bills from the current maximum of 330 days to 90 days also passed the plenary session that day. The National Assembly Act amendment passed with 153 in favor and 81 against out of 234 present.
The amendment changes the fast-track period to "60 days in the standing committee, 30 days in The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and placement on the first plenary session," for a maximum of 90 days. The current fast-track review period is "180 days in the standing committee, 90 days in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and 60 days in the plenary session," for a maximum of 330 days. The fast-track review period would be cut by more than one-third.
Earlier, the People Power Party objected when the amendment was placed on the agenda at the plenary session on the 31st, during the July extraordinary session, and launched a filibuster (a lawful delay of proceedings through unlimited debate). At the time, People Power Party lawmaker Kim Mi-ae, who took part in the filibuster, said, "The Democratic Party is turning the National Assembly into a rubber stamp and a bulletproof lawmaking factory to protect one president."
However, the July extraordinary session ended on the 1st, and the filibuster ended 7 hours and 23 minutes after the amendment was introduced. Under the National Assembly Act, bills not processed due to the end of the session must be put to a vote at the first plenary session of the next session. Under this procedure, the amendment to the National Assembly Act was put to a vote immediately at the plenary session that day.