Opposition floor leader requests meeting with Moon over prosecution bills

The floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party asked Friday for a meeting with President Moon Jae-in so he could ask the president to veto a set of bills aimed at reducing and ultimately removing the prosecution's investigative powers.

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong made the request as the ruling Democratic Party pushes to pass the two bills through the National Assembly and get them signed into law next week before the new administration takes office May 10.

"I will personally meet with President Moon and provide a detailed explanation of the unconstitutionality (of the bills) and the illegality of the way they are being handled at the National Assembly, and deliver the voices of concern and opposition among the people," he said at a party meeting.

"Even if the unconstitutional ... and evil bills pass through the National Assembly, if the president is confident of the way he has handled state affairs over the past five years, I ask that he dispel the people's concerns by exercising his veto," he said.

The DP has used its majority in the National Assembly to railroad the bills through parliamentary committees and is set to force them through plenary sessions on Saturday and Tuesday.

The bills call for limiting the prosecution's investigative powers to only two crime types -- corruption and economic crimes -- from the current six, before removing them completely.

"The majority of people are furious because they believe the Democratic Party is rushing the bills' passage to protect Moon Jae-in and Lee Jae-myung," Kweon said, referring to accusations that the measure would shield the president and the most recent DP presidential candidate from potential prosecution investigations. (Yonhap)