Parties submit rival bills on Unification Church special counsel

Dec 23, 2025, 08:19 am

		0
Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties pose for a photo after a meeting at the National Assembly on Dec. 22. From left: Kim Eun-hye, policy chief deputy floor leader of the People Power Party; Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the People Power Party; Kim Byeong-gi, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea; and Moon Jin-seok, senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. / Yonhap

South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties agreed Monday to submit their own bills for a special prosecutor investigation into the Unification Church and continue negotiations afterward.

Floor leaders from the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party reached the agreement during a meeting at the National Assembly.

Moon Jin-seok, senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party, told reporters that both sides had agreed to file their respective bills first and then consult to move quickly toward implementation.

Kim Eun-hye, policy chief deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, said discussions were also underway with the Reform Party and that a compromise was taking shape, making it possible to submit a bill as early as Tuesday. She added that the party hopes to conclude consultations with the Democratic Party soon and proceed with the special prosecutor investigation within the year.

Momentum for the Unification Church special prosecutor gained pace after the Democratic Party accepted key demands from the ruling bloc earlier in the day. However, a tug-of-war is expected over issues such as who will have the authority to recommend candidates for the post.

The People Power Party and the Reform Party have agreed on a system under which two candidates would be recommended by the Supreme Court and the National Court Administration, with the president appointing one of them. Kim Byeong-gi, floor leader of the Democratic Party, expressed reservations about a third-party recommendation model ahead of the meeting, saying that while the president appoints the special prosecutor, there should be no deviation from the law.

The parties also clashed over how to address the recent Coupang personal data leak. The Democratic Party has proposed holding a joint hearing involving five standing committees on Dec. 30–31. Moon said a joint hearing was necessary to thoroughly examine the company’s problems and that further talks would be held the next day.

Kim Eun-hye countered that the most urgent need was swift government action for the public, adding that the People Power Party favors a full parliamentary investigation, rather than a “perfunctory” hearing, if needed to uncover the truth and prevent a recurrence.

#Unification Church #special prosecutor #National Assembly #Democratic Party of Korea #People Power Party