Democratic Party Begins Discussions on Special Prosecutor Appointment

The Democratic Party has announced it will carefully decide on the specific timing and procedures for appointing a special prosecutor to investigate allegations related to the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, after gathering public opinion.

Hong Ik-pyo, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, stated at a briefing on political affairs on the 4th that while the necessity of a special prosecutor is acknowledged, a cautious approach regarding its timing and procedures is requested. This suggests a higher possibility that the Democratic Party will postpone the processing of the special prosecutor bill until after the local elections. Hong stated, "A significant portion of illegal acts and unjust investigations carried out by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the political prosecution have been revealed, and a public consensus has been formed on the necessity of a special prosecutor to rectify them." He added, "It is a task that must be done to uncover the truth and establish judicial justice through a special prosecutor." These remarks are interpreted to mean that while there is agreement on the necessity of the special prosecutor itself, thorough discussions are needed on the specific methods and timing of its implementation.

The Democratic Party had planned to introduce the 'Special Prosecutor Bill to Investigate the Truth of Fabricated Indictments by Yoon Suk-yeol's Political Prosecution' at the end of April and aimed to pass it within May. However, discussions are ongoing due to various opinions within the party regarding clauses such as the possibility of canceling indictments. Jo Seung-rae, Secretary-General, stated at a press conference, "There are various opinions within the party regarding the timing or specific content, and we will proceed with internal discussions while judging how these are being presented," indicating that the initially planned May processing schedule has become uncertain.

The background to this moderation in the pace of discussion includes criticism from the opposition and concerns about a negative impact on the local elections. Since the bill's introduction, the opposition has raised criticisms by questioning the 'indictment cancellation' clause. Candidates for metropolitan mayor in the capital region from the People Power Party and the Reform Party also held a joint meeting to express concerns about the judicial system. Some local election candidates from the Democratic Party have also voiced concerns that it could negatively affect the June local elections.

These complex factors have strengthened the cautious approach within the party, with the processing of the special prosecutor bill now leaning towards after the local elections. A source within the Democratic Party's floor leadership stated that the possibility of processing the special prosecutor bill after the local elections has increased. Accordingly, discussions on the introduction of a special prosecutor will undergo an internal deliberation process for the time being, awaiting results after the local elections.