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Lawmakers of the ruling party push through a revision to the Act on Testimony and Appraisal at the National Assembly’s plenary session in Seoul on Sept. 29. / Source: Yonhap News

The National Assembly on Monday passed a revision to the Act on Testimony and Appraisal in the Assembly (증감법) that allows perjury cases to be referred for prosecution even after a special committee has been dissolved.

The ruling party forced an end to the People Power Party’s filibuster through a floor vote before putting the amendment to a plenary vote. The bill was approved with 175 votes in favor and one abstention out of 176 lawmakers present.

Under the revised law, if a witness commits perjury during a parliamentary investigation and the relevant special committee has already expired, the Assembly may still adopt a resolution enabling the Speaker to file a formal complaint.

The scope of authority over who should serve as the complainant was at the center of debate. The initial draft designated the Speaker, but it was later changed to the chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, raising concerns from the Speaker’s office.

After internal discussions, the Democratic Party decided to restore the Speaker as the designated complainant. Party spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said after a high-level strategy meeting, “If the Assembly is the complainant, then it is only natural for the Speaker, as the Assembly’s representative, to carry that responsibility.”

Floor spokesperson Moon Geum-joo added after a party caucus, “The bill passed in today’s plenary session will amend the revised version again, reverting to the original draft that names the Speaker as the complainant.”