[News Today] DP CALLS WITNESSES TO HEARING

[LEAD]
It's still the early stages of the 22nd National Assembly, yet the opposition continues its relentless attack. Despite objections from the ruling party, the current Prosecutor General and the Presidential Chief of Staff have been added to the list of witnesses for the impeachment hearings. The Presidential Office refuses to participate, labeling the hearings as potentially unlawful.

[Report]
The Floor Leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties again met for more than an hour on Tuesday.

Choo Kyung-ho/ PPP Floor Leader
The opening ceremony won't be held for a while for many reasons.

Park Chan-dae/ DP Floor Leader
The two sides couldn't come to an agreement about the opening of the general assembly.

The two sides clashed again over an unprecedented petition hearing for presidential impeachment.

The opposition party tabled a plan to the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee to call more witnesses to the July 26th hearing.

Park Jun-tae/ Legislation and Judiciary Committee Member(PPP)
I want to ask the opposition legislators what the real objective of this hearing is. Isn't it to prepare for presidential impeachment?

Park Eun-jung/ Legislation and Judiciary Committee(RKP)
You've been discussing for years whether to summon Prosecutor General
Lee One-seok in relation to First Lady Kim Keon-hee.

The ruling party members walked out in protest and the opposition party unilaterally approved of the motion to call six witnesses including Prosecutor General Lee One-seok and Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-seok to the hearing.

Since there is no objection, I declare that the motion is approved.

The Office of the President immediately said it won't compromise on the potentially unconstitutional issue, implying that the officials won't show up for the hearing.

The Top Office also said the allegation of the First Lady having manipulated stock prices took place before she married the President and a case under investigation or on trial cannot be put up for petition and added that the five reasons of impeachment claimed by the opposition party should be reviewed over their constitutionality.

The confirmation hearing for Korea Communications Commission chair nominee Lee Jin-sook will be held on July 24th and 25th as the opposition intended.

The DP managed to approve of summoning 27 witnesses and 46 reference witnesses despite the ruling party's protest.

The main opposition chose famous celebrities such as actor Jung Woo-sung and actress So Yu-jin as reference witnesses to probe the allegation of discrimination in the culture and arts industry.
The PPP criticized it as the National Assembly overstepping its authority and being arrogant.

■ 제보하기
▷ 전화 : 02-781-1234, 4444
▷ 이메일 : kbs1234@kbs.co.kr
▷ 카카오톡 : 'KBS제보' 검색, 채널 추가
▷ 카카오 '마이뷰', 유튜브에서 KBS뉴스를 구독해주세요!

KBS