Filibuster: 100 hours and counting (LIVE)
By Park Si-soo
How long can you speak without stopping? Two or three hours may be long enough.
How about 10 hours? It may sound unrealistic, doesn't it? But this is what Rep. Eun Soo-mi of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) successfully did Wednesday in an unprecedentedly long-lasting filibuster intended to block an anti-terrorism bill pushed by ruling conservative Saenuri Party.
The bill, if enacted, will allow the spy agency to collect a wide range of personal data ― some without a court warrant ― including phone records of those suspected of posing a security threat. The lawmaker kept her mouth switched on for a staggering 10 hours 18 minutes. Another opposition lawmaker, Jung Cheong-rae, spoke for 11 hours 39 minutes before leaving the podium on Saturday, breaking a record for the country's longest parliamentary speech set on Wednesday by Eun. Since late Tuesday, 21 lawmakers, including Eun from the MPK, and others from the Justice Party have taken turns to hold the main floor at the National Assembly for nearly 100 hours (as of 9 a.m. Saturday). How long will it continue? The Korea Times selected a live feed and some photos (provided by Yonhap News Agency) of this unprecedented political drama. |
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Filibuster: 100 hours and counting (LIVE)
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