"Lee Should Exercise Veto Power Over Criminal Procedure Act," Opposition Party to Hold Supreme Council Meeting in Front of Cheong Wa Dae

[Financial News] The People Power Party will hold an on-site Supreme Council meeting in front of Cheong Wa Dae on Monday, the 3rd. The party aims to urge President Lee to exercise his veto power over the bill abolishing prosecutors’ supplementary investigative powers, which is an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea. It also seeks to rally public opposition to the bill and keep up its fight against the ruling bloc.
Park Sung-hoon, the People Power Party's Chief spokesperson, told reporters at the National Assembly on the 1st, "We will hold an on-site Supreme Council meeting at 9 a.m. next Monday, the 3rd, in front of Cheong Wa Dae to denounce the passage of the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea and urge President Lee to exercise his veto power."
Earlier, the National Assembly passed the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea, which was put to a vote in a plenary session on July 31, under the leadership of the pro-government bloc. The People Power Party responded with a filibuster, but the ruling side forced an end to the debate with its majority seats. The amendment would completely abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers and expand the grounds on which a court may dismiss a prosecution.
Park called the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea "a bill that opens the era of a haven for criminals." He added that it was "designed and passed for the purpose of thoroughly ignoring the protection of ordinary people and the socially vulnerable, and of shielding President Lee personally while preserving Democratic Party power."
He said, "We will definitely block this worst law in constitutional history together with public opinion." He added, "Using the public's voice as our support base, we will make sure to deliver the message that a veto must be exercised before this law is passed at the State Council of South Korea."
The People Power Party also plans to prepare follow-up legislation after the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea. Park said, "We will continue to introduce bills that address the problems in the legislation," and added, "If it is passed at the State Council of South Korea, the People Power Party will take the lead in submitting a new alternative bill."
The People Power Party also plans to seek judicial review of the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea. Park said, "Within the party, we intend to challenge as much as possible through legal means, including a dispute over authority, a constitutional complaint, and an Adjudication on the Constitutionality of Law targeting individual cases."

[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter