Rep. Jung Chung-rae, chair of the legislation and judiciary committee, bangs the gavel during a committee meeting as seats for members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) are vacant, June 14. Yonhap

A parliamentary committee formed unilaterally by the opposition parties referred a special investigation bill over a Marine's death to its subcommittee Friday despite a boycott from the ruling People Power Party (PPP).

A similar opposition-led bill was scrapped during the previous National Assembly after President Yoon Suk Yeol vetoed it, and the DP proposed it again after the new National Assembly came into office late last month.

The bill calls for a special counsel to look into allegations that the presidential office and the defense ministry inappropriately interfered in the Marine's investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, killed during a search mission for victims of heavy downpours in July 2023.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and minor parties held a meeting of the legislation and judiciary committee without PPP lawmakers and agreed to send the bill to one of the subcommittees it decided to form during the session.

It also decided to hold a legislative hearing on the bill next Friday.

The PPP has been boycotting all committee meetings after the DPK on Monday unilaterally selected 11 out of the 18 parliamentary committee chiefs without the ruling party's participation.

PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho demanded that the opposition parties nullify their unilateral selection of the 11 standing committee chairs, stressing no partisan negotiations can resume otherwise.

He urged the DPK to "at least" reverse its decision on three major committees: the legislation and judiciary committee, the steering committee and the science, ICT, future planning, broadcasting and communications committee.

The judiciary committee is a key panel with the power to approve bills for a plenary vote at the Assembly, while the steering committee handles parliament's overall operations and oversees the presidential office.

Choo also proposed the rival parties hold a public debate on the issue of selecting the committee chairmanship.

Separately, the opposition parties also unilaterally convened a meeting of the broadcasting committee without the PPP members for deliberations on three broadcasting law revisions that failed to pass the previous Assembly after Yoon's veto. (Yonhap)