On the 12th, at the plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, ruling and opposition party members are voting to close the general debate on the amendment to the Tobacco Business Act and other bills. Yonhap News. 

The ruling and opposition parties clashed on the 12th at the plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee over the government's 'Respect for the Constitution Government Innovation Task Force (TF)', which aims to identify public officials involved in the emergency martial law situation.

While the Democratic Party of Korea emphasized the need to thoroughly identify public officials who sided with the illegal martial law situation, the People Power Party countered that it is essentially a 'purge' that intimidates the public service sector.

Rep. Seo Young-kyo of the Democratic Party stated, "Yoon Suk-yeol, as the ringleader of the rebellion, will be sentenced to death or life imprisonment. Public officials who sided with Yoon Suk-yeol should show their faces, but they are hiding," adding, "It is the basic duty of the government to thoroughly investigate the crimes of siding with illegal emergency martial law."

Rep. Park Ji-won of the same party emphasized, "There is no reform without a purge of personnel. For the sake of clearing up the rebellion, which is a demand of the times, and for the three major reforms, forces that sided with this must be thoroughly eliminated. However, it must be done quickly and decisively."

Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee Choo Mi-ae asked Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kye-jin, "There was a proclamation during martial law stating 'punish the resident doctors,' and there was also information that military hospital facilities were emptied in anticipation of mass bloodshed. I ask for a thorough investigation into which public official within the Ministry of Health and Welfare colluded with the rebellion forces to create a 'resident doctor blacklist'."

On the 12th, at the plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon answers questions from Rep. Shin Dong-wook of the People Power Party regarding the methods of investigating public officials involved in 'rebellion' by the 'Respect for the Constitution Government Innovation TF.' Yonhap News. 

In contrast, Rep. Cho Bae-sook of the People Power Party questioned, "During the Moon Jae-in administration, there was political retaliation against public officials under the guise of 'clearing corruption,' and is it possible to demand phone submissions like this again? If investigations are conducted based on a single remark or action to determine whether there is a charge of rebellion, it is a reign of terror. Is this a democratic society?"

Rep. Park Joon-tae of the same party argued, "It would be more appropriate to change the TF's name to 'Constitution Destruction Rebellion Framing TF.' Since the three special prosecutors are not enough, the President and Prime Minister are stepping in directly. This is an acknowledgment that the administration is in crisis."

Rep. Shin Dong-wook pressed Minister Song Mi-ryung, who served as the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and was retained under the Lee Jae-myung government, saying, "If an employee who allegedly sided with the rebellion, as the Democratic Party claims, emerges from the Ministry of Agriculture, will the minister resign? Aren't you responsible?"

Rep. Song Seok-jun also asked Minister Song, "Do you believe there are employees who acted independently, beyond the minister's command, colluding and siding with the emergency martial law?"

Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon responded to the ongoing issues raised by opposition lawmakers regarding phone submission and investigation guidelines, saying, "It seems like there is an overreaction to things that have not happened."

In addition, the ruling and opposition parties also clashed over the issue of 'election fraud,' with Democratic Party Rep. Park Ji-won stating, "It is unacceptable to distrust the entire National Election Commission because of the claims of some crazy people like Hwang Kyo-ahn." People Power Party Rep. Shin Dong-wook retorted, "The election commission is claiming to be a victim of martial law, but the origin of the 'election fraud theory' in South Korea is Kim Eo-jun, and this is a matter of trust in state institutions."

Yonhap News