Seoul: The National Assembly, spearheaded by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), has successfully passed a bill granting the Constitutional Court the authority to review lower court rulings, even those finalized by the Supreme Court. This legislative change marks a significant shift in the judicial landscape, aiming to enhance the oversight capabilities of the Constitutional Court.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the amendment to the Constitutional Court Act is one of three judicial reform bills advanced by the DP, and it passed with a vote of 162-63. This development came shortly after a filibuster by the main opposition, the People Power Party (PPP), was concluded. The ongoing legislative efforts have sparked intense debate between the ruling party and the opposition.
The other two reform bills include one that criminalizes "legal distortion," which was passed by the Assembly on Thursday. The third bill, which proposes increasing the number of Supreme Court justices from 14 to 26, was introduced in a plenary session following Friday's vote and is scheduled for a vote on Saturday.
The ruling Democratic Party, leveraging its parliamentary majority, asserts that these bills aim to better safeguard citizens' rights. In contrast, the opposition PPP has voiced strong objections, accusing the DP of attempting to compromise judicial independence and appoint justices sympathetic to the ruling faction.
Additionally, the opposition has expressed skepticism about the true intent behind these reforms, questioning whether they are genuinely aimed at advancing judicial reform or are intended to protect President Lee Jae Myung, who is currently facing five criminal trials. These legal proceedings have been put on hold following his presidential election last year.
The PPP has been actively employing filibusters since the plenary session commenced on Tuesday. A filibuster involves lawmakers holding the floor for extended durations to delay or prevent a parliamentary vote on a bill. Under the National Assembly Act, a filibuster can be terminated after 24 hours if at least 180 lawmakers, or three-fifths of all parliament members, agree to it.