Kwon Seong-dong: "Opposition's Demand for Legislation Committee Chair Is a Declaration of Legislative Rampage"

"The Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee monopolize positions, refusing cooperative governance"

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is delivering an opening remark at the Central Election Countermeasures Committee meeting for the local elections held at the National Assembly on the 11th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized the Democratic Party on the 23rd for demanding the position of Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in the second half of the National Assembly, calling it "a declaration of war to carry out legislative rampage."

At the Central Election Countermeasures Committee meeting for the local elections held at the National Assembly that day, Floor Leader Kwon said, "The Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee must be from different parties for checks and balances and cooperation to be possible, but the Democratic Party's intention to monopolize both positions is essentially a refusal to cooperate."

He explained, "As soon as the Democratic Party secured the majority seats in the 21st National Assembly, they broke the parliamentary convention that had lasted for 16 years since 2004 by monopolizing both the Speaker and the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee," adding, "To overcome this abnormal situation, the ruling and opposition parties agreed last July that the People Power Party would take the Chairperson position of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in the second half of the National Assembly."

He continued, "As a result of the Democratic Party's control over the Legislation and Judiciary Committee pushing through harmful laws, the suffering of the people increased," and pointed out, "The Democratic Party should reflect on their past use of the Chairperson position of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee as a fast lane for legislative rampage."

Floor Leader Kwon also criticized the Democratic Party for belittling the diplomatic achievements of the South Korea-US summit, saying, "Announcing a joint statement containing will and vision just 10 days after the president's inauguration is an important diplomatic achievement in itself, yet they disparage it as 'all show and no substance,'" and added, "The Democratic Party was criticized by the entire nation for their submissive diplomacy toward North Korea, but as soon as the new government was launched and achieved results, they try to belittle them."

He then emphasized, "Although relations between the ruling and opposition parties have become strained, I hope at least in diplomacy they adopt an attitude of acknowledging the other's achievements," and urged, "Please engage in magnanimous politics."