“There is a need to remove toxic provisions from the Special Prosecutor Kim Kun-hee Act and receive it preemptively.”
People Power Party’s pro-Yoon Seok-yeol (Pro-Yoon) faction lawmaker, who requested anonymity, said this in a phone call with the Dong-A Ilbo on the 6th, a day before President Yoon Seok-yeol’s public address and press conference, saying, “We delivered it to the President’s Office through various routes.” It is noteworthy that the pro-Yoon faction also emphasized the need for a special prosecution law.
On this day, six-term People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyeong-tae said, “If we hold a press conference, we could end up in a situation where it will be difficult for the ruling party to block the Special Prosecution Act.” A voice from the ruling party said, “How President Yoon presents a solution to the First Lady Kim Kun-hee issue will affect the number of votes within the ruling party to deviate from the Kim Kun-hee Special Prosecution Act,” and added, “Whether the 8 votes from the ruling party that will decide to pass the Special Prosecution Act will deviate will depend on the content of President Yoon’s press conference.” thing.
At the meeting between Representative Han Dong-hoon and senior lawmakers that day, a lawmaker reportedly said, “President Yoon must give lawmakers a reason not to defect.” The Democratic Party of Korea plans to force a re-vote on the Kim Kun-hee Special Prosecutor Act at the plenary session on the 28th of this month, even if President Yoon exercises his right to request reconsideration (veto).
Accordingly, the press conference on the 7th is expected to be the biggest watershed in the political situation that will determine the fate of President Yoon in the second half of his administration. It is known that President Yoon plans to reduce the content of the statement as much as possible and increase the Q&A time at the press conference.
Rep. Cho, the ruling party’s most senior member and close friend (pro-Han Dong-hoon), met with reporters that day and said, ”If the results of President Yoon’s press conference come out below expectations, the people will not remain silent,” and added, ”There is criticism from the party about the Special Prosecutor Kim Kun-hee Act, but depending on the results of the conference ( “There will be volatility,” he
A People Power Party lawmaker from the metropolitan area also said, “If the press conference is substandard, there will be talk within the party about getting a special prosecutor’s office.” Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo recently mentioned the need for a special investigation, saying, “It has become virtually difficult to normalize state affairs without ending Ms. Kim’s risks,” and “It must be pursued through an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, removing the toxic provisions (in Ms. Kim’s special prosecution law).”
During the second re-vote on the Kim Kun-hee Special Prosecution Act on the 4th of last month, the party leadership decided to reject the Special Prosecution Act as the party line, but at least four votes were cast. A ruling party official said, “Public opinion toward Mrs. Kim has become worse than it was at the time. “Given that it is a secret vote, concerns about additional votes are greater,” he said. In the 81-minute meeting between President Yoon and Representative Han on the 21st of last month, a war of nerves broke out when Representative Han said, “If public opinion worsens, it will be more difficult to block the Special Prosecution Act,” and President Yoon said, “I trust the lawmakers of our party.”
On this day, Representative Han held a series of meetings with senior lawmakers at the National Assembly. A ruling party official explained, “Isn’t the first lady’s demand for restraint in activities and personnel reform a form of pressure because it is the party’s opinion, not the opinion of one representative?” After the senior meeting, the ruling party also postponed the discussion on the performance of the government in the first half of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration scheduled for the 8th, saying, “There are concerns about self-praise.” On the other hand, Rep. Na Kyung-won, who attended the meeting, said, “Now is the president’s time. “It is time to wait,” he said, adding, “Pressure packaged as a suggestion is not helpful.”
During the press conference in August, President Yoon reportedly planned to read the statement at the press conference and then conduct a question-and-answer session instead of giving a government briefing speech in his office and then coming down to the press conference room. At this conference, the president set a policy to focus on saying what the public wants to hear rather than saying what he wants to say.
The ruling party believes that this press conference will be an important inflection point depending on whether President Yoon apologizes and how he responds to Ms. Kim’s issue ahead of the turning point of his term on the 10th.
Reporter Kwon Gu-yong [email protected]
Reporter Hwang Hyeong-jun [email protected]
-
- great
- 0dog
-
- I’m sad
- 0dog
Hot news now
The government wants to communicate. This strategic shift aims to address growing public concern surrounding the issues related to First Lady Kim Kun-hee and the Special Prosecutor Act.
The political landscape surrounding the Special Prosecutor Act has created tension within the ruling People Power Party, which is grappling with divergent views on how to handle the allegations linked to Kim Kun-hee. Lawmakers have expressed the necessity for the president to provide a compelling rationale during the upcoming press conference to maintain party unity and discourage defections that could jeopardize the party’s position on the special prosecution law.
The urgency for clarity and conciliation is underscored by the Democratic Party of Korea’s intention to push forward with their re-vote plan, emphasizing that the urgency for resolution is paramount, even in the face of a potential presidential veto. Observers expect the press conference on November 7th to be pivotal, as its outcomes could significantly influence public opinion and the internal dynamics of the People Power Party.
Representatives are acutely aware that any misstep during the press conference may provoke discontent among constituents, which could reduce their chances in future elections. With heightened scrutiny from the media and public, the necessity for President Yoon to project confidence and present a united front has never been more critical.
The stakes are high, as the political ramifications of the discussion surrounding Kim Kun-hee are capable of determining not only the fate of proposed legislation but also the broader governance and stability of Yoon’s administration moving forward.