Just Talk of "Hurrying"... No Progress in Ruling and Opposition Parties' Negotiations on Committee Formation, This Week Also Slips Away

People Power Party: "Delay in Assembly Organization Due to Democratic Party's Unilateral Agreement Breach"
Democratic Party: "Saving Lee Jae-myung? Blatant Lie... Must Apologize and Bring Concession Proposal for Assembly Organization"

[Asia Economy Reporters Oh Ju-yeon, Kwon Hyun-ji] As the power struggle between the ruling and opposition parties over the National Assembly's second half organization continues, the much-anticipated meeting between the two parties has been indefinitely postponed. Especially, with the Democratic Party's 1-night-2-day lawmakers' workshop scheduled for later this week, it seems practically difficult for the organizational negotiations to proceed within this week.

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the policy coordination meeting held at the National Assembly on the 23rd and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 23rd and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 23rd, Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at the party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in the morning, "Yesterday, the meeting between the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties also failed," and pointed the finger at the Democratic Party, saying, "Who is responsible for the delay in the organization? It is because the Democratic Party unilaterally broke the agreement between the floor leaders."

Floor Leader Kwon said, "Last year, the Democratic Party demanded a revision of the National Assembly Act to significantly reduce the powers of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chairperson on the condition that the chairperson would be handed over after one year," adding, "(The People Power Party) cooperated with the revision of the National Assembly Act that drastically shortened the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's review period from 120 days to 60 days, strictly limited the scope of review, and stipulated that after 60 days, the bill must be submitted to the plenary session. However, the Democratic Party defaulted on the due date like a dishonored promissory note."

He emphasized, "The chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee was naturally supposed to be held by the People Power Party, but they are brazenly refusing to pay the debt," and added, "There is no need to complicate things with calculations. The Democratic Party just needs to keep the promise made a year ago. Then, the Speaker of the National Assembly can be elected even today."

On the other hand, the Democratic Party said that it is necessary to restore trust among the parties involved in the agreement and demanded an apology for Floor Leader Kwon's remark the previous day about the 'condition to save Lee Jae-myung.'

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party, criticized at the policy coordination meeting in the morning, "Floor Leader Kwon made a blatant lie that the Democratic Party set the withdrawal of lawsuits as a precondition to save Lee Jae-myung," and said, "He is slandering the Democratic Party as an immoral group and escalating political strife."

He added, "Neither I nor any member of the floor leader group proposed or mentioned such a thing. The negotiating parties are only deepening distrust," blaming the People Power Party for breaking the table. He also criticized that the delay in the organizational negotiations is because the People Power Party is deliberately stalling.

Park said, "If the second half organization is delayed, they can forcibly appoint problematic personnel, so it can only be seen as them enjoying this situation that is not politically disadvantageous by dragging it out," and added, "Floor Leader Kwon should not try to gloss over his remarks as a misunderstanding but promptly take responsibility as the party who overturned the negotiation table with distorted claims."

Lee Su-jin, spokesperson for the Democratic Party floor, told reporters after the meeting regarding the organizational negotiations, "If (the People Power Party) apologizes even today, Chief Deputy Floor Leader Jin Seong-jun can stay (without attending the workshop) and negotiate immediately," but explained, "However, judging from Floor Leader Kwon's attitude seen through the media, it seems he has no intention to apologize. There are rules to be observed in negotiations, and if they are not kept, there is no trust, so no discussion can take place."

The previous day, Floor Leader Park officially proposed a meeting of floor leaders for organizational negotiations to the People Power Party, but the proposal was disrupted after media reports emerged claiming that the People Power Party said the Democratic Party set the withdrawal of lawsuits against lawmaker Lee Jae-myung as a condition for the organizational negotiations. Starting from this day, the Democratic Party has a 1-night-2-day lawmakers' workshop scheduled, so discussions between the two parties for the organizational negotiations are expected to be further delayed for the time being.