By Jun Ji-hye
The process of how best to recommend a special prosecutor has emerged as a new point of dispute in negotiations between the main political parties over content envisaged for the special Sewol bill.
The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) still maintain different views over whether to allow the bereaved families to participate in a process to recommend candidates for a special prosecutor who will then be tasked with investigating the cause of the disaster that occurred on April 16.
The governing camp is arguing that it cannot allow the families to take part in recommending candidates for a special prosecutor because “It is a job for the National Assembly.”
The dispute has raised further uncertainty over whether the parties can keep their promise to pass the bill by the end of this month.
In the aftermath of the sinking of the vessel, the rival parties agreed to draw up the Sewol bill in order to establish a fact-finding committee to investigate the direct and associated causes of the tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 300 passengers, most of them high school students.
However, the bill has been stalled for months due to wrangles between the rival parties.
At the center of controversy was whether to grant full investigative powers to the fact-finding committee as well as the right to indict those suspected of direct or associated involvement in events that resulted in the ship’s sinking.
The relatives of victims and the opposition have claimed that this is the only way to probe the case thoroughly, while the governing party said that the idea could damage the nation’s judicial system.
Parties then agreed on an alternative ― appointing a special prosecutor ― following concessions made by the relatives of the dead.
However, the conflict began again after these families demanded that their opinion be reflected when candidates for a special prosecutor are recommended to President Park Geun-hye. They believe that if the ruling party members or their confidants play a principal role in the recommendation process, finding out the truth of what happened will be additionally difficult. The opposition party sided with them.
Under the law, the President appoints a special prosecutor after a recommendation committee within the National Assembly recommends two candidates.
This committee is composed of seven members ― three each from the justice ministry, the court, the Korean Bar Association, along with two recommended by the ruling party, and an additional two recommended by the opposition.
“The ruling party has sympathy for the need to reflect the opinions of the families. But this process of recommendation is what the National Assembly needs to do,” said Rep. Yoon Young-seok, the ruling party spokesman.
The largest opposition party shot back. Rep. Seo Young-kyo said, “This is time for the ruling party to make a concession.”
Representatives from the rival parties agreed to meet every Tuesday for meetings of their joint task force team to complete the bill at the earliest possible date.
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