The 21st National Assembly's 'First Bill' Is Mine

Park Kwang-on's Office Pulls All-Nighters for 4 Nights and 5 Days
Focus on Each Party's No.1 Bill

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] On the eve of the opening of the 21st National Assembly, a spectacle unfolded as lawmakers competed to submit the first bill. Even before the opening, a line of aides was seen stretching in front of the Legislative Affairs Division on the 7th floor of the main building. This was to claim the title of the first bill of the 21st National Assembly. This scene repeats every four years.

On the 29th, ahead of the opening of the 21st National Assembly, a staff member from Representative Park Kwang-on's office is waiting in the hallway in front of the National Assembly's Legislative Affairs Department to submit the first bill of the 21st National Assembly. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The title of the first bill is likely to go to Park Kwang-on of the Democratic Party of Korea. Park’s aides began a 4-night, 5-day overnight "staking out" (waiting without moving) starting on the 1st of next month, when the 21st National Assembly’s official work begins. The aides take turns guarding their spot in front of Room 701, the bill submission center.

The bill to be submitted is the "Basic Act on Realizing Social Value in Public Institutions," which stipulates matters related to the realization of social value and requires public institutions to consider this in the policy implementation process. If this bill is the first to be submitted, it will be assigned bill number 2100001. In the 20th National Assembly, the office of Park Jung of the Democratic Party submitted a bill to establish a Peace Economy Special Zone in Paju as the first bill after an overnight wait.

Regarding this, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, criticized at the elected members’ meeting held at the National Assembly on the 29th, saying, "It is an undesirable practice that aides line up 4 or 5 days before bill submission to secure the first bill." He added, "We suggested that the first bill be submitted by the party, but the Democratic Party refused because of the lawmakers lining up. We are negotiating to end this hereditary practice of aides lining up day and night."

Attention is also focused not only on bills that individual lawmakers attach significance to but also on the first bills submitted by each party. These serve as a touchstone to read the policy direction of each party in the 21st National Assembly over the next four years.

On the first day of the 20th National Assembly, the Saenuri Party submitted the Youth Basic Act. The Democratic Party proposed livelihood bills such as the Act on Relief for Damage from Household Chemical Substances, the Sewol Ferry Special Act, the Local Education Finance Grant Act, and the National Health Insurance Act, while the People’s Party introduced bills under the motto of fair growth.

Other events held by each party are also attracting attention. At the opening of the 20th National Assembly, the Democratic Party collected 82 million won, equivalent to two days’ worth of salaries from its 123 members, and donated it to the Jubilee Bank. The funds were used to purchase and write off 12.3 billion won in non-performing loans of 2,525 low-income people.

The term of the 21st National Assembly begins on the 30th. However, official work such as bill submission is scheduled to start on the 1st. Kim Young-choon of the Democratic Party is among those rumored to be appointed as Secretary-General of the 21st National Assembly.