CLASHES OVER PROSECUTION REFORM BILL

[Anchor Lead]

The People Power Party’s filibuster against the prosecution reform bill at the National Assembly’s plenary session ended automatically at midnight. The ruling Democratic Party put an end to the prolonged debate by terminating the parliamentary session and plans to pass the bill by May 3rd through such means. The opposition party is thinking about taking legal actions and putting the bill up for a national referendum.

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Filibuster against the prosecution reform bill continued for nearly seven hours. But it ended automatically when the parliamentary session expired at midnight.

[Soundbite] Park Byeong-seug(Nat’l Assembly Speaker) : "I announce that the meeting cannot continue as the extraordinary session has come to its end according to the National Assembly Act."

The same situation is expected to recur tomorrow. The Democratic Party plans to convene an extraordinary session to pass the revisions to the Prosecutors’ Office Act first... and then pass the bill on the Criminal Procedure Act in the same manner by May 3rd. The People Power Party is focusing on legal responses. The opposition party has filed an injunction with the Constitutional Court, claiming that there were procedural issues while the Legislation and Judiciary Committee was reviewing the bill. Also, the PPP is still weighing the option of putting the bill up for a national referendum. However, the National Election Commission has said that a referendum is impossible unless the law is ruled unconstitutional. The President-elect’s chief of staff still insisted on the idea, calling the NEC’s response as overstepping its authority.

[Soundbite] Chang Je-won(President-elect’s Chief of Staff) : "Isn’t it overstepping of authority for NEC secretariat employees to say this when the agenda hasn’t even been officially introduced to the NEC?"

The Democratic Party countered that putting the bill up for a referendum is an unconstitutional idea that departs from the separation of the three branches. The ruling party also called it an attempt to defend the prosecution service and gain political payoffs. The DP also plans to report the PPP for starting a physical altercation during the Legislation and Judiciary Committee proceedings.

[Soundbite] Park Hong-keun(Floor Leader, Democratic Party) : "The PPP, Prosecutors’ Office, President-elect and Transition Committee have banded together to guard the prosecution’s right to investigate."

Despite the opposition's protest and public criticism, the DP looks to proclaim the revised law at the Moon Jae-in administration’s last cabinet meeting on May 3rd.