The National Assembly passed a bill on Thursday to launch a special counsel investigation into the June 3 local elections, hours after a bipartisan agreement was reached.
The bill stipulates that the investigation will focus on the National Election Commission's alleged attempts to cover up officials' overseas junkets and unfair hiring, as well as allegations of errors in the NEC's computerized data and vote-counting manipulation.
The ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition People Power Party had been negotiating for weeks over the scope and subject of the investigation.
"We had already agreed on how the candidates for the special counsel would be recommended, but it took a long time to consult on the scope of the investigation," Rep. King Seung-su of the People Power Party said.
Under the bill, the investigative team will consist of five assistant special counsels, 70 special investigators, fewer than 20 prosecutors and fewer than 70 civil servants.
In the plenary session, 226 of 228 members in attendance voted in favor of the bill.
The two parties also agreed to extend the National Assembly's special committee on the election probe by 30 days. During the extension, the committee plans to conduct a recount, tentatively scheduled for Aug. 18, and hold one additional hearing before concluding the recount in August.
The special counsel is expected to proceed in parallel.
After the bill was passed, the opposition party began a filibuster of the ruling party-backed revision bill of the Criminal Procedure Act that seeks to remove all investigative powers from the prosecutors' office.
mjcha@heraldcorp.com
