Ahead of Local Elections, Flood of 'Election-Driven Legislation'... Lawmaking Power of National Assembly Members Reduced to Offensive Tool

Short Preparation Period and Aim to Appeal to Supporters
"Criticism of Legislative Power Abuse Over Sincerity"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Jeong Cheong-rae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, proposed a bill on the 16th that prohibits assemblies near the residences of former presidents. This bill was submitted immediately after former President Moon Jae-in criticized conservative groups’ rallies causing harm to residents as “anti-intellectual.”

Both ruling and opposition parties are flooding with legislation targeting their support bases. As political clashes intensify ahead of the June 1 local elections, legislative competition to capture not only supporters but also centrist voters has grown. There are criticisms that legislative acts are being abused by lawmakers as mere offensive tools.

On the 18th, an analysis of legislative materials posted on the National Assembly’s bill information system revealed that recently, many bills have been prepared in an excessively short period and proposed for offensive purposes.

Jeong Cheong-rae recently proposed the “Partial Amendment to the Act on Assembly and Demonstration,” which prohibits assemblies and demonstrations within 100 meters of the residences of former presidents. This legislation was introduced just one day after former President Moon expressed discomfort by calling the continuous rallies day and night by some conservative groups in Pyeongsan Village, Yangsan, where he resides, “anti-intellectual.”

A bill aiming to block the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s “Yongsan office relocation” also emerged. On the 16th, Kim Min-seok, a Democratic Party lawmaker, held a press conference at the National Assembly and announced plans to propose the “Act on the Installation of the Presidential Residence,” which includes provisions on the presidential office and residence. This bill strongly reflects an attempt to recall controversies surrounding the Yongsan office relocation and was announced less than a month after the issue arose shortly after the inauguration.

Legislation was also used offensively in connection with the new government’s personnel hearings. Bills related to Han Deok-su, the Prime Minister nominee criticized for “revolving door appointments,” and Han Dong-hoon, the Minister of Justice nominee accused of “dad’s chance” preferential treatment, were proposed. These bills include provisions preventing high-ranking officials from being appointed to key positions in law firms for two years after retirement and conducting periodic investigations into minors’ theses and research achievements. However, these bills were all proposed within about a month around the start of the hearings on the 25th of last month.

The ruling People Power Party also introduced bills targeting the opposition or supporting government policies. On the 15th, Kwon Seong-dong, the floor leader, directly targeted Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party’s general election committee chairman running in the Incheon Gyeyang-eul by-election, by announcing plans to propose a partial amendment to the National Assembly Act to limit lawmakers’ immunity from arrest.

The “hasty legislation” behavior right before elections is problematic as it lowers the quality of legislation. Lee Kwang-jae, Secretary-General of the Manifesto Practice Headquarters, pointed out, “The rush to propose bills only during elections is closer to lawmakers ‘abusing their legislative power’ rather than genuine legislative activity. Such bills rarely pass. They are proposed loudly but there is little interest in whether they are processed.”

Since the 21st National Assembly, out of 14,059 bills submitted by lawmakers, only 3,627 have passed, a passage rate of just 25.8%. There are 10,432 bills still pending. Lee emphasized, “Since laws have a tremendous impact once amended, they must be proposed after a thorough deliberation process.”