Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), declared Saturday that his party would "fight back with filibusters against all bills in plenary sessions until the (Democratic Party's) eight evil laws are withdrawn."
"I have stated that unless the ruling party withdraws its attempt to ram through the eight totalitarian evil laws that are absolutely unacceptable by year-end, we will fight back with filibusters against all bills brought to plenary sessions," Song said at a general meeting of lawmakers at the National Assembly. "The eight evil laws we must block are laws that would destroy the Republic of Korea by shaking the constitutional order to its roots."
The laws the PPP has designated as "eight evil laws" include establishing a special court for insurrection trials, creating a new charge for distortion of law, increasing the number of Supreme Court justices and abolishing the National Court Administration, introducing a four-tier court system, expanding the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials' investigative scope to include judges and prosecutors, regulating political party banners, imposing punitive damages on YouTubers, and restricting filibusters.
The PPP plans to continue filibustering three bills scheduled for plenary session Saturday, including amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, the Banking Act, and the Act on the Performance of Duties by Police Officers.
"You all witnessed the tyranny of National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik's 'silencing' at Thursday's plenary session, so you will remember," Song said. "Speaker Woo turned off the microphone during a speech for the first time in 61 years."
He continued, "There were provisions throughout the National Assembly Act to accommodate minority parties, but all of these have been neutralized. He destroyed the National Assembly Act with the absurd sophistry that the speaker can declare a recess at will even during a filibuster."
Song emphasized, "Does such a National Assembly speaker deserve to hold that position? I have said we would thoroughly review legal options regarding Speaker Woo, and we will act on that soon."
