Ruling and Opposition Parties Deadlocked Over Special Counsel Act on Manipulated Indictments; Cho Jung-sik: "Negotiate Until the Very End"

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jung-sik urged the ruling and opposition parties, which are at loggerheads over the passage of the Special Prosecutor Act on Fabricated Prosecutions and other matters, to continue negotiations. The parties met today ahead of the plenary session scheduled for Nov. 5.

Han Byeongdo, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Jeong Jeomsik, floor leader of the People Power Party, leave the National Assembly speaker's office after their meeting on Nov. 4, 2026. Yonhap News

Jang Hyeonju, the National Assembly speaker's senior secretary for public relations and communications, said, "A meeting between the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties was held under the speaker's auspices," adding, "The speaker listened to the positions of both parties."

At the meeting, Han Byeongdo, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, called for six agenda items to be put forward: the Special Prosecutor Act on Fabricated Prosecutions; a resolution to form a special committee on super-regional cooperation; the Act on Democratic Meritorious Persons; the Act on the Improvement of Urban Areas and Residential Environments; the Special Act on the Promotion of Urban Renewal; and the Yongsan Park Act. Jeong Jeomsik, floor leader of the People Power Party, said the party could not accept the Special Prosecutor Act on Fabricated Prosecutions and indicated that a hard-line struggle was inevitable.

Jang said Speaker Cho had urged the floor leaders of both parties to "negotiate once more, until the very end."

In response to reporters' questions about the possibility of postponing the plenary session, Jang said, "It is difficult to predict at this point," adding, "I think we will have to see how the ruling and opposition parties negotiate by tomorrow morning before making a decision."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.