'Public Institution Labor Director System' Forced Progress... Ruling Party Requests Agenda Adjustment Committee

Full Meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 8th Held with 'Agenda Undecided'
Discussion on Public Institution Operation Bills, Basic Social Economy Act, and More

On the afternoon of the 8th, the full meeting of the Planning and Finance Committee was held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. The full committee meeting was held with the agenda undecided. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy reporters Hyunju Lee and Boryeong Geum] The Democratic Party of Korea has requested the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee to form an agenda adjustment committee regarding the bill to introduce the public institution labor director system. The agenda adjustment committee, composed equally of ruling and opposition party members, will discuss the referred agenda for up to 90 days, and if approved by more than two-thirds, the agenda can be submitted to the plenary session.

The Planning and Finance Committee plenary meeting held on the 8th, convened solely by the Democratic Party, was opened with an 'undecided agenda,' but bills related to the operation of public institutions including the introduction of the public institution labor director system, the Basic Act on Social Economy, and the Basic Act on Service Industry Development were discussed.

As soon as the meeting began, procedural speeches followed, and the People Power Party and non-negotiating parties strongly opposed. Opposition lawmakers questioned the reason for holding the meeting when the agenda was undecided and raised issues about the procedure of convening the meeting. Ryu Seong-geol, the opposition party's floor leader from the People Power Party, pointed out, "There is an opinion that bringing an agenda referred to a subcommittee to the plenary session without consultation or agreement among the floor leaders of the negotiating parties violates the National Assembly Act," adding, "Bringing an agenda referred to a subcommittee to the plenary session to push through by numbers is a violation of the National Assembly Act." Park Hyung-soo, a People Power Party lawmaker, asked, "Why was today's meeting convened?" and added, "Isn't it because of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate?" Park said, "'Lee Jae-myung-style command law' is an act that undermines the authority of the National Assembly itself," and "It is a disgrace to all lawmakers including myself, and Democratic Party lawmakers should be ashamed."

Lawmakers from non-negotiating parties also pointed out problems in the bill processing process. Jang Hye-young of the Justice Party said, "I actively sympathize with the purpose of the bills and agreed on the necessity and enactment except for the Basic Act on Service Industry Development when discussed in the subcommittee last year," but criticized, "If the ruling party had genuine intention to process it sincerely, it should have been submitted to the subcommittee agenda last month." Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party also criticized the ruling party, saying, "If you want to fight by majority rule, shouldn't there be at least some justification?" and "The ruling party is too lazy to even make such efforts and repeatedly claims there are no legal or procedural problems, which is regrettable."

Democratic Party lawmakers countered that mentioning the presidential candidate's name is the real disgrace to the National Assembly. They especially proposed resolving the issue through an agenda adjustment meeting. Kim Young-jin, the ruling party floor leader from the Democratic Party, said, "Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, met with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and held secret discussions about bills or contents that have not been discussed at all in the National Assembly, and then slanders other candidates as if nothing was done," adding, "The agenda adjustment meeting according to the National Assembly Act is a power granted to the National Assembly to resolve issues."

Yoon Hu-duk, chairman of the Planning and Finance Committee, explained, "Today's meeting was not to submit or decide on an agenda," and "The meeting was held to discuss the direction of agenda review."

The public institution labor director system bill is one of the urgent issues that candidate Lee requested Democratic Party lawmakers to process within this regular session during the livelihood and reform legislative promotion meeting. Candidate Lee also mentioned at a meeting with the leadership of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on the 22nd of last month that the public institution labor director system would be handled as a top priority.