Opposition Says Fate of 'Trial Suspension Law' Hinges on Judiciary's Stance; Party Endorsement Possible

Opposition Says Fate of 'Trial Suspension Law' Hinges on Judiciary's Stance; Party Endorsement Possible

The People Power Party (PPP) has stated that the possibility of endorsing the 'Presidential Trial Suspension Law,' currently being pursued by the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), depends on the judiciary's stance. This statement comes amidst growing speculation that the DPK will re-pursue party endorsement of the bill. The 'Presidential Trial Suspension Law' is a proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act that would suspend criminal trials of defendants elected as president during their term in office. In the past, the DPK unilaterally passed this bill in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and referred it to the plenary session, but deferred its handling at the request of President Lee Jae-myung. However, with the recent resurgence of the need for the trial suspension law within the DPK, the PPP appears to be closely monitoring the judiciary's position and seeking countermeasures.

On October 28, 2025, Baek Seung-ah, the DPK's floor spokesperson, responded to a question about whether the 'Trial Suspension Law' would be endorsed as a party platform, stating, "We will decide after seeing the judiciary's attitude." This statement is interpreted as suggesting that the DPK's final decision may depend on how the judiciary proceeds with the trials related to President Lee Jae-myung. In particular, it is believed that the remarks made by Kim Dae-woong, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court, during the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit on October 20, 2025, will influence the DPK's judgment. When asked whether a retrial following reversal could be scheduled at any time during President Lee Jae-myung's administration, Judge Kim replied, 'Theoretically, that is possible.' The DPK is reportedly closely monitoring the judiciary's actions and carefully reviewing the bill's necessity and feasibility.

Within the DPK, voices calling for the re-pursuit of the 'Presidential Trial Suspension Law' are gradually growing louder. It is known that Representative Kim Yong-min emphasized the need for re-pursuit at a closed-door DPK lawmakers' meeting held on October 26, 2025. Furthermore, Representative Lee Geon-tae appeared on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun's Humble is Difficult News Factory' and stated, "I suggested to Representative Chung Cheong-rae that we pass it quickly." While some within the party are actively advocating for the bill's passage, the DPK leadership appears to be maintaining a cautious stance, monitoring the judiciary's trends and public opinion. However, if the judiciary shows signs of proceeding swiftly with trials related to President Lee Jae-myung, the DPK may actively pursue the bill's passage through party endorsement.

The PPP is strongly criticizing the DPK's push for the 'Presidential Trial Suspension Law.' Yoo Sang-beom, the PPP's chief deputy floor leader, criticized at a meeting to discuss countermeasures for the National Assembly audit, "The DPK's attempt to pressure and control the judiciary more strongly and harshly than during the authoritarian government era, and to further collapse the judicial system, in order to prevent President Lee Jae-myung's judicial risks, feels like collective madness." This hardline stance from the PPP foreshadows a fierce debate between the ruling and opposition parties surrounding the 'Presidential Trial Suspension Law.' The PPP is expected to mobilize all means to block the DPK's bill, focusing on raising issues with the bill's legitimacy and validity to secure public support.

Moon Jin-seok, the PPP's chief deputy floor leader, mentioned at a daily briefing on the National Assembly audit that "There is no set date for when this law will be passed," but also stated, "It depends on the attitude of the opposition party and the judiciary." This is interpreted as suggesting that the PPP can also respond flexibly to changes in the situation while monitoring the judiciary's attitude. The PPP is expected to criticize the DPK's push for the 'Presidential Trial Suspension Law' while simultaneously employing a strategy of pressuring the judiciary to make fair and objective judgments. Ultimately, the fate of the 'Presidential Trial Suspension Law' is expected to be determined by the judiciary's judgment, along with the political dynamics between the ruling and opposition parties, and the direction of public opinion.