30% Approval Ratings Turn Back the Clock on Special Counsel Bill for Manipulative Indictments to September
The Democratic Party has turned the clock back to September for the special counsel bill on manipulative indictments.
The ruling and opposition parties agreed to process about 40 non-controversial bills at the plenary session on the 26th, but the 'Special Counsel Bill for Truth Finding into Manipulative Investigations and Indictments' was not included on the list from the start. What changed the game was public sentiment. In a telephone automated response survey commissioned by Straight News and conducted by JoWon C&I on 2,001 adults aged 18 or older nationwide from the 22nd to the 24th, President Yoon's positive job performance rating was tallied at 38.9%. The President's approval rating also continued its downward trend since April, settling in the 30% range.
As the numbers fell, the ruling camp's schedule moved first. Plans for a special counsel with the power to dismiss indictments and the relocation of public agencies were pushed back together. This suggests a calculation that an expansion of the special counsel political turmoil could act as a stumbling block to recovering public sentiment.
The Legislative Clock Turned Back by 30% Approval Ratings
The reason this bill became a point of contention lies in the subject of the investigation itself. The core of the bill is for an independent special counsel to uncover allegations that the prosecution under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration manipulated investigations and indictments targeting specific individuals. Those claiming to have suffered have long lamented the lack of institutional means to overturn ongoing trials, and as this bill targets exactly that point, a gap in stance naturally widened between the ruling and opposition parties.
The ruling party's response was already evident in the plenary session results. On the 26th, a revision bill to strengthen the functions of the Public Institution Operations Committee passed, led by the Democratic Party, along with bills supporting the 2028 UN Ocean Conference and preventing coastal disasters. The judgment is that stacking legislative achievements without controversy serves as a shield against the erosion of public support.
Design to Grant Special Counsel the Power to Dismiss Indictments
The core of the bill is the scope of the special counsel's authority. Democratic Party lawmaker Park Kyoo-tae announced on the 26th that the 'Special Counsel Bill on Allegations of Manipulative Investigations and Indictments by the Yoon Suk-yeol Administration' includes the special counsel's power to dismiss indictments. The power to dismiss indictments allows the prosecution side to withdraw an indictment already filed with the court. Simply put, it means the special counsel can directly stop trials that are proceeding based on fabricated indictments. Since it is a means of cutting off ongoing trials rather than post-conviction compensation, the authority has significant teeth.
Its trajectory also overlaps with the special counsel already in motion. The special counsel team for the National Election Commission, led by Lee Tae-han, investigating the June 3 local election ballot shortage scandal, will receive some police and prosecution personnel starting on the 27th and officially launch next month on the 7th. If the manipulative indictment special counsel bill also passes, the number of special counsels will increase by one. This would mark an unprecedented situation where truth-finding mechanisms operate simultaneously.
The Gap Between 'Must Do Quickly' and 'Livelihood First'
Even within the ruling camp, disagreements exist over the speed. Chief Spokesman Park Sung-jun argued that the bill must be processed quickly when the regular National Assembly session opens in September. Lawmaker Park Kyoo-tae also emphasized the inclusion of the dismissal power, stating, "We need to process it quickly." On the other hand, Policy Committee Chairman Kwon Chil-seung, who oversees legislation, drew a different line, stating, "Resolving livelihood issues during the September regular session is the top priority."
"Fear of being deceived is a vulgar version of the desire to find the truth." — Emil Cioran
Applying this maxim to politics, it reads like this. Determining whether manipulation occurred is a matter of truth, but setting the schedule for it is a matter of power. The fact that this bill was excluded from the list of non-controversial bills agreed upon by the ruling and opposition parties shows its contentious nature. It implies that the ruling party is gauging whether public sentiment will bear the cost of the political strife required for a vote.
Two Variables That Will Dominate the September National Assembly
The future procedure is simple. After the opening of the regular National Assembly in September, it will go through the relevant standing committee review, and if negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties break down, it will move to a vote showdown. There are two variables. If the approval rating rebounds from the 30s, the 'livelihood first' line will gain strength, and the bill will continue to be pushed back. Conversely, if additional downward pressure comes, the truth-finding card may be brought forward earlier to rally the support base. The voices calling for swift processing draw their strength from the latter scenario.
The market needs to pay attention to a different point. Usually, the regular September session coincides with the review of the following year's budget. If a political situation arises where contentious special counsel bills consume the session, economic and livelihood bills will inevitably be pushed back. Legislative delay means policy uncertainty, which directly impacts corporate investment decisions. The mix of achievements processed without dispute and contentious issues that drag on appears to determine the productivity of the September Assembly.
