The ruling Democratic Party of Korea plans to pass a special bill establishing a dedicated court for insurrection cases in the National Assembly this week, despite the Supreme Court offering an alternative solution. The People Power Party has announced a filibuster, pushing the legislature back into a standoff.
Park Soo-hyun, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said at a press briefing at the National Assembly on Tuesday that "we will introduce the Information and Communications Network Act amendment to the plenary session on Wednesday and the insurrection court establishment bill on Thursday." Due to the People Power Party's filibuster, the Information and Communications Network Act is expected to be voted on Thursday and the insurrection court bill on Friday.
The Democratic Party maintains it will push through its own bill regardless of the Supreme Court's decision to establish internal regulations creating dedicated divisions for insurrection and treason cases. "Why did they do something they could have done so much later?" Park said, adding that "we will secure stability through legislation to supplement the instability of court regulations."
The bill submitted to the plenary session is an amended version that addresses concerns about unconstitutionality through internal deliberations. Provisions in the original insurrection court bill that gave external figures such as the Justice Minister and the Constitutional Court Secretary General the authority to recommend committee members will be removed. The amended bill is expected to grant recommendation authority to internal bodies such as the National Conference of Court Representatives and judges' councils at various court levels.
The "false information" distribution ban provision will be removed from the Information and Communications Network Act, which the Democratic Party calls the "False Information Eradication Act." Regarding the addition of the distribution ban provision during the Legislation and Judiciary Committee review, Policy Committee Chair Han Jung-ae said, "The Constitutional Court has previously ruled this an excessive infringement on freedom of expression," adding that "we will process an amended bill after comprehensive coordination and adjustment."
The People Power Party cannot block the Democratic Party's passage given its majority, but plans to seize an opportunity to turn the political tide through a public opinion battle via filibuster, as both bills face strong opposition from their respective stakeholders in the judiciary and media sectors. Choi Bo-yoon, senior spokesperson for the People Power Party, warned in a statement that "with the Supreme Court officially presenting an internal judicial system alternative through 'regulations for nationally important cases,' the legislative justification and necessity for the special law have disappeared," adding that "the Democratic Party will face the stern judgment of the people for denying judicial independence and undermining constitutional order." Rep. Choi Hyung-doo, the People Power Party's secretary on the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, criticized that "if this law passes, the government will immediately suppress and threaten criticism from free citizens and the press through punitive damages lawsuits."
Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties plan to vote on a resolution to form a Special Committee on Political Reform and an investigation plan for the December 29 Jeju Air passenger plane disaster at the plenary session on Wednesday, ahead of introducing the contentious bills.
