The so-called 'Myung Tae-kyun special prosecution law,' which investigates allegations of interference in the nominations of President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife, passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 27th under the leadership of opposition parties, including the Democratic Party.
◇Including allegations of interference in the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation
On this day, the National Assembly held a plenary session and put the 'Myung Tae-kyun special prosecution law' to a vote. According to the voting results, it was passed with 182 votes in favor, 91 against, and 1 abstention out of 274 members present.
The Myung Tae-kyun special prosecution law is designed to investigate allegations of election interference involving Mr. Myung, known as a political broker in the Gyeongnam region, and President Yoon and his wife. In addition to President Yoon Seok-yeol, many ruling party figures, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, are also suspected of having had transactions with Mr. Myung.
Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said during the plenary session, “As Myung Tae-kyun announced that he would disclose his golden phone, a flustered Yoon Seok-yeol declared an absurd state of emergency the very next day on December 3rd,” adding, “The special prosecution regarding Myung Tae-kyun is the key to uncovering the causes and secrets of the December 3rd civil unrest.”
The subjects of the special prosecution law include ▲ allegations of illegal polling and transaction related to election interference during the 2022 presidential election, local elections, and by-elections ▲ allegations regarding the provision of free polling by Mr. Myung to the Yoon couple during the presidential primary ▲ and allegations of quid pro quo involving nominations.
In addition, allegations of the involvement of Mr. Myung and Kim Keon-hee in the selection process for the 2022 Daewoo Shipbuilding strike and the Changwon National Industrial Complex, as well as allegations of higher-ups' interference in the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office investigation, are also being investigated.
The opposition reports that the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating Mr. Myung, is deliberately delaying the investigation into the allegations of interference in the nominations by President Yoon and his wife, with involvement from the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office and the Presidential Office's Civil Affairs Office in this process.
The special prosecution will choose candidates through the 'third-party recommendation' method. ▲ The Chief Justice will recommend a list of two candidates to the President, who will appoint one of them, and ▲ the Chief Justice must recommend candidates who have served as judges, prosecutors, or lawyers for at least 15 years.
◇ The ruling party that voted down the bill as a party position... “A strategic evil law aimed at division”
The People Power Party decided early on to vote down the Myung Tae-kyun special prosecution law as a party position, judging that the Democratic Party's push for the special prosecution law is driven by an intention to provoke a divide within the ruling party ahead of an early election.
First, it aims for defections among ruling party members who are free from the Myung Tae-kyun risk, and then aims to trigger divisions among ruling party presidential candidates burdened with the so-called 'Myung Tae-kyun risk,' such as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo.
Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the People Power Party, mentioned Kim Dae-eop, who is identified as a key figure in the 'Byung-poong Incident,' often cited as the worst case of smear campaigning in Korean political history, during a morning emergency response committee meeting, criticizing it as a “strategic special prosecution aimed at creating a 'second Kim Dae-eop' for the early election.”
The scope of the investigation is effectively regarded as a 'universal investigation law' covering the entire political sphere.
Park Joon-tae, a member of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, stated during opposition discussions in the plenary session, “This is nothing more than a ‘People Power investigative special law’ disguised under a plausible name, and the idea that there would be a directly reporting agency under the Democratic Party's special investigative headquarters,” adding, “The intention to investigate all members of the People Power Party during the entire general election process, including 108 members, is clearly present.”
He pointed out, “Guaranteeing the autonomy and independence of political activities is a core principle of democracy,” asserting that making this a subject of compulsory investigation is an unconstitutional law that shakes the foundation of party politics.”
The key question is how much the sense of crisis over the Myung Tae-kyun risk within the ruling party will escalate as the early election approaches. While they currently maintain a united front, dissenting voices are emerging among the pro-Han faction lawmakers.
On this day, in fact, People Power Party member Kim Sang-wook cast a vote in favor.
He met with reporters in the National Assembly main building and emphasized, “To face the presidential election with confidence, the ruling party must proactively address the ‘Myung Tae-kyun risk’ first.”
He stated, “If there is something wrong, it is natural to clarify and resolve it, and providing the people with the opportunity to choose a truly trustworthy leader in the early election is the duty of a political party,” adding, “Protecting national interests and justice and pursuing what is right takes precedence.”
The People Power Party plans to request acting President Choi Sang-mok to exercise a veto against the Myung Tae-kyun special prosecution law soon. If he exercises the veto, the bill will return to the National Assembly.
Following this, with the Constitutional Court's ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol, the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties over the re-vote is expected to become even sharper.