Assembly Speaker, “Will Use Power to Present Special Counsel Bill for Re-approval Tomorrow”

The speaker of the National Assembly, Park Kwan-yong, had a conversation with the leaders and floor leaders of the four major parties at the National Assembly on December 1 and said, “If the four parties cannot reach a consensus by December 2, I will hold a general conference on December 3 and bring up the special counsel bill for re-discussions through my official authority.” Park has delivered his remarks to Rep. Choe Byung-yul, chairman of the Grand National Party, who is currently on an indefinite hunger strike.

A newly appointed head of the Millennium Democratic Party, Cho Soon-hyung, also called on Rep. Choe at the headquarters of the GNP and said that he would make full efforts to pass the independent counsel bill in case of re-discussions. The United Liberal Democrats also finalized its position during its internal general meeting to approve the bill when the National Assembly calls for another round of discussions.

According to changing situation, it is likely that the second round for voting on an independent counsel bill will proceed within this week as well as the normalization of the National Assembly session. Regarding this, the GNP is planning to collect its members’ opinions at an extraordinary general committee on December 3 following an operation management meeting and regional directors meeting on the previous day. A key official of the GNP said, “Now that a mutual assistance between the three opposition parties to discuss the special counsel bill again is confirmed, we will be able to pass the bill with a vote on an early date.” However, the GNP official mentioned that the GNP will also have to find out justifications to release its chairman Choe Byung-yul from his ongoing hunger strike, who has demanded the president to take back his veto against the special prosecution.

鄭然旭 jyw11@donga.com