Assemblyman So Byung-chul Selected as Outstanding Member of the Democratic Party for Two Consecutive Years in the National Assembly Audit

‘Opened a New Horizon in Policy Audit with Differentiation through Alternative Proposals’ Evaluation
Thoroughly Addressed Regional Livelihood Issues Following Government Policies
First Ever Inter-Ministerial and Standing Committee Collaboration in N

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker So Byeong-cheol (Jeonnam Suncheon·Gwangyang·Gokseong·Gurye (Gap), Judiciary Committee) announced on the 29th that he was selected as an excellent member of the Democratic Party’s National Assembly inspection for the second consecutive year following last year.

During the National Assembly inspection, Rep. So presented specific alternatives while pointing out issues such as ▲ five principles for prompt investigation related to the Hwacheon Daeyu construction corruption case ▲ four proper improvement measures for the parole system in correctional facilities ▲ three countermeasures regarding preferential treatment before and after the Supreme Court ▲ introduction of an evaluation system to enhance the public defender system ▲ four fundamental improvement plans for long-unsolved cases ▲ and problems including the admission and subscription of harmful publications by inmates in correctional facilities.

Rep. So’s performance in the National Assembly inspection was evaluated as “opening a new horizon for policy and livelihood inspection through differentiated proposals,” and he was praised for sharply pointing out problems of supervised institutions such as the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution and presenting clear alternatives by leveraging his experience and expertise as a former high-ranking prosecutor, gaining the acceptance of agency heads.

Moreover, Rep. So not only focused on policy inspection but also carefully addressed local issues, demonstrating the aspect of livelihood inspection.

In particular, he showed responsible politics by revisiting the damage issues of flood victims around the Seomjin River, which he had pointed out during last year’s Board of Audit and Inspection National Assembly inspection.

Additionally, after listening to complaints from local farmers about rural labor shortages, he urged the Ministry of Justice to devise measures for supplying foreign workers during the National Assembly inspection.

Notably, Rep. So was the first in the National Assembly inspection to jointly request data and urge the formation of a government-wide task force on the issue of foreign labor supply in rural and fishing villages, in cooperation with Rep. Seo Sam-seok’s office of the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee and Rep. Ahn Ho-young’s office of the Environment and Labor Committee.

After the inspection, he also published a policy booklet titled “Improvement Measures for the Foreign Worker System to Solve Labor Supply in Rural and Fishing Villages,” which attracted attention.

Rep. So is also dedicating efforts to preparing follow-up legislation to improve problems revealed during the National Assembly inspection.

On the 23rd, he took the lead in proposing a partial amendment bill to the Act on the Execution of Sentences and Treatment of Prisoners, which restricts inmates’ permission to subscribe to harmful publications in correctional facilities.

Rep. So stated, “Above all, I have strived to propose necessary policies and alternatives from the public’s perspective. I will continue to monitor and ensure that the issues raised and alternatives proposed during the National Assembly inspection are steadily improved. I will do my best to become a lawmaker that Suncheon can be proud of through responsible attitudes and statements.”

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Korea explained the reason for selecting him as an excellent member of the National Assembly inspection, saying, “He has excellently fulfilled his role as a Democratic Party lawmaker through policy proposals and alternatives for phased recovery from COVID-19, livelihood economic recovery, and future transformation.”