2nd Independent Counsel Secures Evidence of Orders to Storm Parliament and NIS Collusion

Independent Counsel Confirms Martial Army Orders and NIS Collusion

The 2nd Independent Counsel (Special Prosecutor Kwon Chong-seong) announced that it has secured decisive evidence regarding key military figures in the December 3 emergency martial law incident. Counsel spokesperson Kim Ji-mi stated during a briefing that testimonies from multiple witnesses corroborated the claim that former Major General Jo Seong-hyeon, commander of the 1st Security Brigade of the Capital Defense Command, ordered troops to enter the National Assembly. The investigation has effectively confirmed as fact that military units attempted to physically control the National Assembly, the representative body of the people. This is expected to serve as core evidence supporting charges of engaging in important duties during a rebellion.

Beyond military orders, indications of the National Intelligence Service's (NIS) organized involvement have also been confirmed. During the counsel's investigation, it was revealed that the NIS actively sympathized with the martial law situation and had preemptively prepared a list of hundreds of individuals deemed so-called "security threats." The fact that the state intelligence agency surveilled and listed individuals during a specific political situation raises serious legal concerns regarding the infringement of basic rights and the violation of neutrality. These investigative results are analyzed to form a decisive precedent in the process of proving charges of rebellion and abuse of authority.

Clash Over ICT Act Revision and Criminal Procedure Act

As the judicial investigation proceeds, a fierce partisan battle is intensifying in the National Assembly over revisions to the Criminal Procedure Act and the Information and Communications Technology Network Act (ICT Act). People Power Party (PPP) Floor Leader Kim Jeong-seon described the recently announced ICT Act as an unconstitutional evil law that suppresses the freedom of expression of the people. The PPP has clarified its stance to respond by requesting a constitutional review of the bill and proposing a complete revision as a party platform. With the bill's implementation imminent, the main opposition party's strong resistance is deepening the political confrontation.

The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is countering by speeding up the process to handle livelihood bills. The DPK maintains that the National Assembly must be convened on the 9th to process the Criminal Procedure Act revision, which includes the complete abolition of supplementary prosecution authority. Spearheaded by Rep. Han Byung-do, this revision is currently proceeding with the goal of being proposed within this week. While accepting public opinion critical of the revised ICT Act's implementation, the DPK is engaging in strategic legislation under the pretext of preventing investigative agencies from abusing their excessive authority. They are simultaneously employing a strategy to shift responsibility for the delay in livelihood bills to the opposition.

Partisan Clash Over Recommendation Body for NEC Special Counsel

Sharp differences between major political parties persist regarding who will recommend a special counsel to investigate allegations related to the National Election Commission (NEC). The DPK proposes that a third party, rather than the ruling and opposition parties, recommend the special counsel to ensure political neutrality. However, the PPP rejects the third-party recommendation proposal outright, arguing that the scope of the special counsel's investigation must be comprehensively expanded to include the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Acting NEC Chairman Weon Chul-hwan.

The opposition party's rejection of third-party recommendation is rooted in concerns that the scope of the investigation could be expanded indefinitely. Their logic is to prevent the special counsel from being infinitely expanded under specific political intent. Conversely, the ruling party rebuts this by raising fundamental questions about the neutrality and fairness of the election management body, stating they cannot accept the opposition party's recommendation method for a thorough investigation. The difference in perspective on how to implement audits and institutional reforms over power institutions is analyzed as the core cause of the difficulty in processing this special counsel bill.

Legislative Gridlock Continues and Ripple Effects

As judicial punishment and institutional reform following the December 3 incident proceed simultaneously, legislative delays in the National Assembly are worsening. As the PPP continues its boycott of the National Assembly plenary sessions, it is difficult to set a specific deadline for processing key bills, including the Criminal Procedure Act. Despite the DPK's strong calls for cooperation in organizing the Assembly, political interests are diverging, making it highly likely that the current stalemate will continue for the time being.

Conflicting values—freedom of expression, national security, and control of investigative authority—are all entangled in the bill processing. As the special counsel investigation leads to the legal responsibility of the military command chain and state intelligence agencies, legal and institutional supplementary measures based on these findings are essentially required. The Constitutional Court's decision on the constitutionality of the ICT Act and the passage of the Criminal Procedure Act revision at the National Assembly are projected to have significant ripple effects on the future of the judicial system and the development of democracy in South Korea.