Acting Leader Han Byung-do speaking at a Democratic Party policy coordination meeting (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Hwang Kwang-mo = Han Byung-do, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks at a policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th. July 16, 2026. hkmpooh@yna.co.kr

The Democratic Party of Korea is pushing to convene a plenary session of the National Assembly on the 20th to process a comprehensive amendment to the special counsel act, which includes extending the investigation period and expanding investigative staff for the three major special counsels regarding insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, and the death of Marine Cpl. Chae.

When asked by reporters after the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th about what plenary session schedule had been requested of the National Assembly Speaker, floor spokesperson Kim Sung-hwan replied, "Since we must pass the special counsel act amendment, our hope is to hold a plenary session even as early as next Monday (the 20th)."

Another floor official also told Yonhap News over the phone, "We intend to process the special counsel act amendment at the plenary session on the 20th."

The core of the amendment is a provision to allow for an additional 30-day extension of the comprehensive special counsel's investigation period. If passed, the deadline for the special counsel investigation will be extended from the 24th of this month to the 23rd of next month. The comprehensive special counsel, launched in February, has already had its term extended twice under existing law.

Additionally, the amendment adds "obstruction of audit" by public officials regarding the cases under special counsel investigation as a subject for investigation, and increases the number of dispatched public officials for the special counsel from the current 130 to 150.

It also includes a provision to appoint attorneys to maintain public prosecutions for cases indicted by the special counsel.

The amendment was passed the previous day at a plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, led by the opposition party.

People Power Party Supreme Council Meeting (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Hwang Kwang-mo = People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk and members of the Supreme Council attend the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th. July 16, 2026. hkmpooh@yna.co.kr

In response to the Democratic Party's move to process the special counsel act, the People Power Party is preparing to engage in a filibuster (obstruction of parliamentary proceedings through unlimited debate).

The People Power Party's Office of Floor Administration notified its members on this day, stating, "As the situation in the National Assembly is grave, please adjust your schedules in advance to ensure that all members can be on standby within the premises starting from the morning of the 20th."

The People Power Party plans to form a team to guard the plenary session hall and coordinate the schedule for a general meeting of its members.

If the Democratic Party convenes a plenary session on the 20th and begins the process of handling the special counsel act, it is reported that five-term lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, who also chairs the National Assembly's Special Investigation Committee on the ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections, is expected to be the first to start the filibuster.

However, some in political circles suggest that if the People Power Party carries out its planned filibuster, it will be difficult for the Democratic Party to successfully process the special counsel bill during a plenary session on the 20th.

Ending a filibuster requires a three-fifths majority of registered members, and observers suggest that reaching this threshold will be difficult when accounting for members on vacation and the party's relationship with the Rebuilding Korea Party.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts held a plenary meeting on this day and, led by the opposition, appointed Rep. Jung Tae-ho as the opposition's ranking member on the committee. The People Power Party did not attend the meeting. [Yonhap News]