Impeachment Bill Idles As Lawmakers Bicker

The legislature's plan to discuss the bill to impeach the prosecutor-general and his deputy has been put on hold due to the controversial remark by Rep. Kim Yong-kap of the main opposition Grand National Party that the ruling Millennium Democratic Party is "the Second Company of the North Korean Workers Party."

The two parties initially agreed to introduce the bill Wednesday and vote on it Friday. But now that parliament is at an impasse over the comment, the floor leaders of both parties will have to reschedule a hearing of the bill.

Ruling party lawmakers were adamant in their demands to punish Mr. Kim for the comment. Opposition legislators on the other hand quipped that the ruling party is intentionally preventing the introduction of the bill.

Chung Kyun-whan, the ruling party floor leader, said that he would do his best to introduce the bill as soon as the assembly gets back to work. Kwon Cheol-hyun, the opposition party spokesman, said that the assembly could easily delay the vote on the bill by one day. Both parties agree that outright cancellation of the bill is unlikely since the law states that the vote on an impeachment bill should take place within 72 hours of the bills introduction.

"Our lives are like those of flies," a prosecutor said, lamenting the fact that their fate is being determined by political adversaries. Top prosecutors have reportedly said that it is not right for them to resign under political pressure.

by Park Jai-hyun