
The 21st legislative session of the National Assembly concluded amidst ongoing political deadlock. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, held a demonstration outside the presidential office after a bill for a special counsel investigation into the on-duty death of a marine failed to pass in the Assembly. Despite having the majority, the bill did not secure the necessary two-thirds majority vote. The Democratic Party, along with other minor parties, has pledged to reintroduce the bill in the next Assembly session. The death of Corporal Chae Su-geun sparked controversy, leading to investigations of senior military officials and Cabinet members. The Democratic Party advocates for a simultaneous special counsel investigation, while the ruling People Power Party insists on waiting until the ongoing police and anti-corruption agency investigations are completed. The bill for the special counsel investigation faced a veto from President Yoon, marking the 10th veto he has exercised over Assembly-passed bills during his two-year tenure. The ruling party criticized the Democratic Party for passing bills without bipartisan consent, leading to a lack of dialogue and compromise in the Assembly.