[Asia Economy reporters Wondara and Jeon Jinyoung] Yoon Hojung, Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced that the Democratic Party intends to take all the standing committee chair positions in the 21st National Assembly. This is interpreted as a 'strong measure' in response to the stalled negotiations with the United Future Party over the positions of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts Chair and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chair. According to the National Assembly Act, standing committee chairs are to be allocated by majority vote, and the distribution through negotiation has been a 'custom' since the 13th National Assembly.
After the party's Supreme Council meeting held on the 27th at The-K Hotel in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, Secretary General Yoon said, "The issue of distributing standing committee chairs is not something to negotiate with the opposition party," adding, "It is in line with the principles of democracy for the Democratic Party, as the absolute majority party, to take all the standing committee chair positions and operate responsibly."
Yoon stated, "There were various opinions regarding the negotiation for the formation of the National Assembly during the Supreme Council's closed meeting," and added, "We must seriously accept the will of the people who gave us 177 seats, or 180 seats based on the election results."
He emphasized, "Since the 13th National Assembly, it has been customary to divide the number of standing committee chairs according to the seat ratio between the ruling and opposition parties, but until the 12th National Assembly, it was a majority-dominated assembly, and since the 13th, no party has held a majority," and continued, "Because there was no majority party, standing committees were divided to operate the National Assembly."
He continued, "Now, there is an absolute or stable majority. This is the will of the people to take responsibility for operating the National Assembly," and stressed, "Therefore, the issue of distributing standing committee chairs is not something to negotiate with the opposition party."
He added, "If we abandon this and return to the method used from the 13th to the 20th National Assembly, it will result in failing to eradicate the wrong customs of obstructionism, the so-called 'animal National Assembly' or 'plant National Assembly,'" and said, "There was a strong criticism that this would ultimately betray the will of the people."
Yoon said, "The reason I am speaking out personally rather than through a spokesperson briefing is because I strongly insisted on this," and emphasized, "Even during the meeting, although I will not name names, there was a point made that the floor leaders should stake their positions to uphold this principle."
After the briefing, when asked if it should be understood that the Democratic Party intends to take all 18 standing committee chair positions, Yoon replied, "Yes."
When asked if this means that the party is empowered to push forward if negotiations do not go well because they can take all the standing committees, he answered, "That is the principle."
When asked if this means they will not negotiate with the opposition party over standing committees, he said, "Negotiations like 'who gets the Legislation and Judiciary Committee' or 'who gets the Budget and Accounts Committee' cannot exist," adding, "The United Future Party is stuck in a past delusion, claiming that the seven chair positions belong to them."
He criticized, "Dividing seats 11 to 7 or by seat ratio is a unilateral claim by (Kim Seongwon), the United Future Party's senior deputy representative." Regarding the possibility of a delay in the opening of the National Assembly, he said, "We will form the National Assembly according to law and principles," and added, "I do not think the opening will be difficult."
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