ⓒKBS News

"Of the 167 lawmakers in attendance, the partial revision to the public official election law... passed with a vote of 156 for, ten against and one abstention."

A coalition of the ruling Democratic Party and minor opposition parties on Friday pushed ahead to approve controversial revisions to the nation's election rules.

With several lawmakers of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party(LKP) wrangling to stop Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang from taking the podium, the bill passed in a vote of 156 for, ten against and one abstention.

Lawmakers then wasted no time to collide on the issue of creating a new state anti-corruption agency.

To prevent the passage of the fast-tracked bill, Rep. Kim Jae-kyung of the main opposition held a filibuster, followed by a series of counter speeches by rival party lawmakers.

The relay of speeches is expected to continue through Saturday when the current assembly session expires. However, when the new session begins Monday morning, the main opposition will no longer be allowed to filibuster the same bill anymore.

The main opposition claims that minor parties agreed to the proposed investigative agency only to secure the ruling party's support for the passage of the election law.

The revised election rules will allow minor parties to win additional seats in the event they receive more party ballots than their district candidates' individual victories at the upcoming general elections in April.

The ruling and minor opposition parties teamed up to fast track the bills in April, despite fierce protests from the LKP.

The main opposition believes the envisioned investigative authority will be full of progressive lawyers working at the behest of the president. The ruling and minor opposition parties say the new agency will keep the nation's powerful prosecution in check.