The article discusses the controversy surrounding the legislative proposal referred to as the “National Stability Act” by the ruling Democratic Party in South Korea. This act, originally called the “Trial Suspension Act,” is part of judicial reforms the party is pursuing related to the trials involving President Lee Jae-myung.
Critics, including Jin Joong-kwon, a special professor at Kwangwoon University, have expressed their disapproval on social media. Jin called the rebranding of the act an example of euphemism, arguing that totalitarians often use such tactics to disguise wrongdoing. He drew parallels with historical examples, such as the Nazis referring to torture as “intense interrogation” and Jewish deportation as “evacuation measures.” Jin warned that manipulating language for politically suspicious purposes is a strategy to obscure true intentions.
Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon also criticized the renaming. He argued that the move is an attempt to obscure efforts to shield President Lee from legal repercussions and compared it to masking martial law as an educational directive. Han accused the Democratic Party of treating the public with disdain.
In response, the Democratic Party’s spokesperson, Park Soo-hyun, refuted the criticisms, emphasizing that the party never intended for the “National Stability Act” (an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act) to be processed. He argued that it is a defensive measure against the push from the opposition to restart President Lee’s trials. Park asserted that the intent was to ensure that the president could fulfill his term without facing charges unless he committed acts of treason, aligning with the spirit of Article 84 of the constitution.