Visually impaired PPP lawmaker concludes nearly 18-hour filibuster against proposed special probe
Published: 22 Mar. 2026, 16:32
Updated: 22 Mar. 2026, 20:30
![Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the People Power Party begins a filibuster at the National Assembly plenary hall in Yeouido, western Seoul, on March 21. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/22/a82a25ff-6ece-4184-970c-02b8de8243a7.jpg)
Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the People Power Party begins a filibuster at the National Assembly plenary hall in Yeouido, western Seoul, on March 21. [YONHAP]
The conservative party's visually impaired lawmaker Kim Yea-ji concluded a nearly 18-hour filibuster on Sunday opposing a proposed special investigation into alleged prosecutorial misconduct during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.
Rep. Kim of the People Power Party (PPP) spoke for about 17 hours and 35 minutes, reading from braille notes after taking the floor at around 4:42 p.m. on Saturday as the first speaker.
Her speech comes as the Democratic Party (DP)-led National Assembly moves toward a vote on a special probe into whether prosecutors under the Yoon administration handled key cases involving President Lee Jae Myung and DP figures unfairly. Those cases include alleged corruption in the Daejang-dong and Wirye development projects, an illegal payment case involving former Democratic Research Institute Deputy Director Kim Yong, the Ssangbangwool money transfer case linked to North Korea and the fatal shooting of a South Korean fisheries official in the Yellow Sea.
The Daejang-dong and Wirye cases center on a controversial land development project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, in which private developers made large profits, leading to allegations that figures linked to Lee, then the mayor of Seongnam, granted favorable terms. The Kim Yong case involves accusations that Kim, a close aide to Lee, received illegal political funds from business interests linked to the Daejang-dong development.
The Ssangbangwool case focuses on allegations that the underwear manufacturer illegally transferred money to North Korea, reportedly to support projects connected to Lee during his time as Gyeonggi governor. The Yellow Sea shooting refers to the 2020 killing of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korean forces, which later became a political dispute when conservatives criticized the government under then-President Moon Jae-in for improperly handling the death and inaccurately portraying the incident.
Opposition targets Lee-DP probe
Rep. Kim focused on concerns that the proposed investigation could expand political power into the judicial sphere.
“This investigation reflects a dangerous idea to expand political power into the realm of judicial judgment rather than strengthening institutional independence,” Kim said.
![Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the People Power Party begins a filibuster at the National Assembly plenary hall in Yeouido, western Seoul, on March 21. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/22/9c758477-ac0c-402f-ab06-bd650a2f1833.jpg)
Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the People Power Party begins a filibuster at the National Assembly plenary hall in Yeouido, western Seoul, on March 21. [YONHAP]
Kim described how she perceives her surroundings.
“I rely mainly on touch and hearing in my daily life,” she said. “Because I cannot see, there are things I feel more clearly — the temperature of words, the tension in the air, the voices of lawmakers speaking in front of me and the sincerity and weight of responsibility contained in them. Before entering the National Assembly, I pictured politics as something with a clear form. I thought it should be like a firm pine tree that stands in place and remains green under any circumstances."
Her experience in politics later changed that view.
“After experiencing politics closely for six years, I felt differently,” Kim said. “Politics no longer felt steady or consistent, but instead seemed unstable and sometimes directionless. At times, clear standards became unclear, and other priorities took over, making me question whether politics was losing its sense of responsibility and principles."
Kim warns of political overreach
Kim stressed the need to respect constitutional limits.
“Politics must observe the boundaries of the Constitution and the limits of power, and above all, consider the impact of decisions on people’s lives,” she said. “It seems people keep putting political gain ahead of principles, siding with their own camp over institutions and focusing more on political outcomes than on people’s lives."
She also referred to her vote in favor of impeaching former President Yoon, who was removed from office on April 4, 2025, for declaring martial law on Dec. 3, 2024.
![Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the People Power Party speaks at the National Assembly plenary hall in Yeouido, western Seoul, on March 22. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/22/56ca2e54-bb29-4cfa-a91e-54bf7acc8cf7.jpg)
Rep. Kim Yea-ji of the People Power Party speaks at the National Assembly plenary hall in Yeouido, western Seoul, on March 22. [YONHAP]
“It was not an easy decision, but I participated in the vote for one reason,” Kim said. “Many citizens, including myself, already felt that martial law was unconstitutional and illegal."
Kim questioned the necessity of the proposed investigation.
“We still need to ask whether the issues cited as grounds for this investigation are justified,” she said. “Just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done — what matters is knowing when to act and when not to. That’s why this isn’t just a political decision."
She warned that the bill could undermine the separation of powers.
“Standing here, I feel a sense of crisis that the long-established principle of separation of powers in our democracy is being shaken,” Kim said. “In reality, this is a dangerous move to bring the judicial system under political control and apply political standards to individual investigations based on the majority party in the National Assembly. I hope we don’t end up in a place where the power of the majority, used in the name of politics, becomes more frightening than the prosecution itself.”
Kim ended her speech at around 10:18 a.m. on Sunday, falling short of her initial plan to speak for 24 hours. Support for her remarks also emerged outside the National Assembly chamber as the filibuster continued.
Colleagues express support
Former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon voiced support for Kim on Facebook.
“Rep. Kim can speak better than any legal expert, including myself, about how the DP's destruction of the judicial system will harm the socially vulnerable, including people with disabilities,” Han said. “Her filibuster won’t stop these laws, but it shows the anger and determination of those who will be most affected. We need to rebuild the conservative camp, regain public trust and undo these laws."
![Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon speaks to reporters in Daegu on Feb. 27. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/22/32790c02-c4c0-414b-881f-3b770da29330.jpg)
Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon speaks to reporters in Daegu on Feb. 27. [NEWS1]
Rep. Han Zee-a of the PPP also commented on Facebook.
“Through this filibuster, she is clearly explaining why this investigation into dropping charges is wrong and what the real issues are,” Han Zee-a wrote. “I ask that we stop unproductive debates surrounding the president’s personal legal issues and focus on people’s livelihoods."
Choi Bo-yoon, senior spokesperson for the PPP, criticized the investigation in a statement.
“This investigation is essentially a political move to justify dropping charges in cases involving President Lee Jae Myung,” Choi said. “This attempt to use legislative power to erase the president’s criminal allegations would be an unprecedented blow to the Constitution and could turn the country into a legislative dictatorship."
Choi Soo-jin, chief floor spokesperson of the PPP, also raised concerns.
She cited Article 8 of the Act on National Assembly Inspection and Investigation, which states that such investigations must not aim to intervene in trials.
“It is not normal in a democracy for the National Assembly to intervene in ongoing trials and investigations for one individual,” Choi said.
She urged the DP and President Lee to halt what she described as actions undermining judicial order.
“No matter how much one tries to cover up the past, the truth cannot be erased, and the public will remember,” she said.
PPP ramps up criticism of judicial reform bill
The PPP also criticized another bill passed on Saturday by the DP to establish two new agencies, a Prosecution Office and a Major Crimes Investigation Office, a move critics say could weaken prosecutors’ independence and reduce the effectiveness of criminal investigations by separating the investigative and indictment roles too sharply.
“This legislative push is not reform for the people,” the PPP said.
![The Supreme Prosecutors' Office is seen in southern Seoul on March 22. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/22/6a52d316-d4e0-49bc-9555-8276f73d116d.jpg)
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office is seen in southern Seoul on March 22. [YONHAP]
PPP senior spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon warned of potential risks.
“Excessive separation of investigation and prosecution could weaken responses to crime and undermine prosecutors’ independence,” she said. “It is also unclear whether the Major Crimes Investigation Office can properly handle major crime investigations."
She added that putting the Major Crimes Investigation Office under the interior minister’s control raises concerns about political influence over investigations.
“The impact of this legislation, which could shake the country’s criminal justice system, will ultimately fall on the public,” she said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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