Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leave the chamber after a special counsel probe bill over the death of a Marine was scrapped during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
The National Assembly rejected and scrapped a bill to launch a special counsel probe into allegations surrounding the death of a Marine during a parliamentary revote Thursday.
During the plenary session, 194 out of 299 attending lawmakers voted in favor of the bill, while 104 lawmakers opposed it, with one ballot being invalid. This marks the second time the bill has been rejected, following its initial rejection during the final plenary session of the previous National Assembly in May. To pass in a revote, a bill requires a majority of the 300-member parliament to be present and must secure two-thirds approval.
The bill, pushed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), aims to launch an investigation into the government's alleged interference in the military's investigation of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun's death that occurred during a search and rescue operation in a flooded area in July 2023.
The revote came a day after National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said he plans to hold a plenary session on the vetoed bill regardless of the differing stances of the rival parties.
"Even if the rival parties fail to reach a compromise on the bill, I plan to hold a plenary meeting on Thursday for a revote on the special probe bill into the Marine's death," Woo said at a press conference on Wednesday.
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has opposed the bill, saying that the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials are already investigating the case.
The special counsel bill was vetoed by President Yoon Suk Yeol on July 9 after the DPK passed it during the Assembly's plenary session on July 4, while PPP lawmakers walked out in protest. The DPK had proposed a similar bill during the previous Assembly, but was also blocked by Yoon.
Marine reservists condemn the National Assembly for rejecting a special counsel probe bill into the death of a Marine during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
Immediately after the revote, six opposition parties staged a joint protest against the PPP and the president for rejecting the special counsel probe bill into the Marine's death.
"We strongly condemn President Yoon and the PPP for going against public sentiment, abusing power and abolishing fairness and common sense. PPP chairman Han Dong-hoon promised he would listen to the voices of the public. Was that just empty talk?" DPK floor leader Rep. Park Chan-dae said. "Yoon and the PPP have said 'the one who avoids a special counsel probe is the criminal. Now, we all know that Yoon and the PPP are criminals."
The DPK vowed to continue pushing the bill.
"We will continue to pursue the bill until we reveal the substantive truth about the death of the Marine who died in the line of duty and the government's alleged interference during the Marine Corps' internal probe," Park added.
On Thursday morning, the DPK pressured PPP lawmakers to vote in favor of the bill in the planned revote.
"President Yoon should confront an outraged public that opposes his veto of the bill regarding the Marine's death. If PPP lawmakers truly believe they represent the people and their desires, they should support the bill," Park said.
The PPP vehemently opposed the bill.
"The DPK's decision to reintroduce the controversial legislation immediately following the PPP's national convention reflects its superficial intention to create division over the bill. However, that is a miscalculation," the newly-elected PPP chairman said hours before the revote.
PPP floor leader Rep. Choo Kyung-ho echoed the sentiment, saying, "The special probe bill on the Marine's death, pushed by the DPK, is unconstitutional and thus cannot be accepted. We will block the passage of the bill by all means."