Ruling party to be excluded from nominating special prosecutor in presidential probe

[Anchor]

Several bills that have conflicting opinions from the ruling and opposition parties were passed today (Nov. 28) in the opposition-led National Assembly.

An amendment to the permanent special prosecutor rules was processed, which stipulates that the ruling party cannot recommend candidates for special prosecutors when investigating the president or their family.

The ruling party has stated that they will take this to the Constitutional Court.

Reporter Kim Min-cheol has the details.

[Report]

The amendment to the National Assembly rules on permanent special prosecutors passed the plenary session with 179 votes in favor and 102 against.

The key point is to exclude the ruling party from recommending two of the seven-member special prosecutor candidate recommendation committee and distribute those seats to minor opposition parties for cases where the president or their family is involved in an investigation.

The ruling and opposition parties engaged in a back-and-forth debate.

[Kim Yong-min/Democratic Party Member: "It is in line with the spirit of our Constitution and the expectations of the people that someone not influenced by the president recommends the special prosecutor."]

[Joo Jin-woo/People Power Party Member: "In short, another prosecutor's office under the Democratic Party is being created. The taxpayers' money will be wasted on the permanent special prosecutor games of a specific political faction."]

The amendment to the permanent special prosecutor rules is not a bill, so it will be implemented immediately, and the People Power Party has announced that they will file a constitutional complaint along with a dispute over authority with the Constitutional Court.

A bill to abolish the so-called 'automatic referral clause for budget proposals,' which automatically refers government proposals to the plenary session if the National Assembly fails to meet the budget review deadline, and an amendment to the Grain Management Act, which requires the government to purchase all excess production when rice prices plummet, also passed the plenary session amid opposition from the ruling party.

The government and ruling party stated that they would recommend the president exercise his right to request reconsideration, citing concerns about negative impacts on people's livelihoods and the economy, as well as issues related to oversupply of rice.

This is KBS News, Kim Min-cheol.