Seoul: The ruling Democratic Party (DP) announced on Monday its decision to withdraw a contentious bill that sought to suspend ongoing criminal trials for a sitting president. This decision follows strong opposition from the conservative People Power Party (PPP).
According to Yonhap News Agency, the DP initially moved forward with the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which was passed unilaterally at the parliamentary Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting in June. The main opposition, PPP, criticized the bill, arguing it was designed to shield President Lee Jae Myung.
Rep. Park Soo-hyun, the chief spokesperson for the DP, stated during a press briefing that the party decided to focus on promoting achievements from the tariff negotiations between South Korea and the United States, as well as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. This marked a reversal in the party's stance within just a day.
When questioned about potential influence from the presidential office, Park confirmed that the DP leadership had discussed the issue with the presidential office. He emphasized that the DP opted not to proceed with the bill rather than postponing it.
The announcement followed a day after the DP leadership referred to the bill as a "national stability bill" and suggested a plenary vote within the month, amid growing pressure from the PPP concerning Lee's postponed trials. The DP had argued that the legislation was necessary for stable governance and to prevent political disruption, but critics claimed it was designed to benefit Lee specifically.
Observers note that the DP's decision might be an effort to avoid further political backlash as the government aims to emphasize diplomatic successes from the APEC summit held the previous week. Article 84 of the Constitution prevents the president from being charged with a criminal offense during their tenure, except in cases of insurrection or treason. However, there is no explicit rule addressing whether an ongoing criminal trial can continue if the accused becomes president.