The four opposition parties agreed Tuesday to submit a revision bill of the independent counsel law to the parliamentary plenary session Thursday, seeking to extend the investigation into alleged corruption by President Park Geun-hye.

Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has the power to grant an additional month to the 70-day investigation, which is set to end next Tuesday, but he has not come to a decision on the matter.
 

“We urge acting President Hwang to clarify his position on the investigation period extension,” the chiefs of the four opposition parties said in a joint statement.

“If Hwang fails to do so, the National Assembly shall make all efforts to pass a revision bill of the independent counsel law at Thursday’s plenary session.”

The four heads -- Reps. Choo Mi-ae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, Park Jie-won of the People’s Party, Choung Byoung-gug of the Bareun Party, and Sim Sang-jeung of the Justice Party -- are also considering taking the bill directly to Speaker Chung Sye-kyun.

Chung is allowed by the National Assembly Act to put a bill to a full floor vote on his own authority, without the consent of the corresponding committees during natural disasters or national emergencies.

Sim has been the most outspoken proponent of using the speaker’s power to expedite the bill, claiming parties should not be bound by the national emergency prerequisite.

“Under normal circumstances, the bill should first pass the legislation and judiciary committee (before reaching the plenary session) but should this be thwarted, we are also considering putting the bill (to a vote) on the speaker’s authority,” Rep. Youn Kwan-suk, chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party, told reporters.

The four opposition parties Sunday vowed to revise the independent counsel law, urging the acting president to extend the investigation period.

The independent counsel’s term is due to end next week, but a number of key issues remain unresolved. These include bribery allegations involving the recently arrested Samsung Group chief Lee Jae-yong and a face-to-face interrogation of President Park.

Hwang has so far been passive on extending its term, saying only that he would decide “based on the related law.”

Meanwhile, the ruling conservative Liberty Korea Party, formerly the Saenuri Party, blamed the opposition for exerting pressure on the acting president.

“The role of the independent counsel team is to do its best within the due period and hand over its results to the prosecution,” said floor leader Rep. Chung Woo-taik.

“Acting President Hwang should abide by the law and principles without being swayed by the opposition’s excessive demand.”

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)