Kwon Seong-dong "Simultaneous Election of National Assembly Speaker and Legislation Committee Chair"... Opposition Dismisses as "Talking to a Wall"

Reorganization Back to Square One... Possible Postponement to July if No Agreement
Floor Leader Kwon to Visit the Philippines as Special Envoy Tomorrow... "Democratic Party Just Needs to Change Its Position"

[Asia Economy Reporters Oh Ju-yeon, Kwon Hyun-ji] Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, proposed the simultaneous election of the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee at the Supreme Council meeting on the 27th. However, the Democratic Party, which had agreed to concede the Chairperson position of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, dismissed Kwon’s proposal as "talking to a wall," causing the negotiations for the second half of the 21st National Assembly’s organizational structure to return to square one.

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 27th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

At the Supreme Council meeting that day, Floor Leader Kwon reiterated the agreement made between the ruling and opposition parties in July last year, criticizing the Democratic Party by saying, "It was agreed that the People Power Party would take the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in the second half. I cannot understand why this common sense turns into a concession only when it comes to the Democratic Party." He then emphasized, "I demand that the National Assembly plenary session be convened to elect the Speaker and the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee first. I hope the agreement will be fulfilled through simultaneous election."

The People Power Party holds the position that it cannot accept the Democratic Party’s conditions regarding the formation of the Special Committee on Judicial Reform and the withdrawal of lawsuits related to the so-called "complete prosecution reform" (검수완박). Accordingly, the Democratic Party has not submitted the list of members for the Special Committee on Judicial Reform, which it passed unilaterally in the National Assembly Steering Committee. Regarding the Democratic Party’s conditions, Floor Leader Kwon reiterated his stance, saying, "They are trying to bundle the 악법 (malicious law) of complete prosecution reform," and stated "unacceptable," while urging, "Please accept the proposal sincerely."

However, the Democratic Party dismissed this proposal. Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at the emergency committee meeting that day, "Despite opposition from our supporters, we conceded the Chairperson position of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, but the behavior shown by the ruling party leadership afterward is irresponsible and disappointing," adding, "It is not enough to persuade the opposition to prevent a government vacuum; they are demanding submission." He further warned, "If this is a tactic to delay the normalization of the National Assembly and to crush the confirmation hearings of unqualified ministers, the public will not forgive it."

Regarding the People Power Party’s proposal for the simultaneous election of the Speaker and the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee made that morning, Park said in a press conference after the meeting, "Do you think that will be accepted?" and dismissed it as "the same as talking to a wall."

Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Emergency Measures Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 27th and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

As the possibility of a breakdown in the ruling and opposition parties’ negotiations on the organizational structure increased that day, the delay in forming the organization has now exceeded one month. This is because Floor Leader Kwon, one of the negotiators, is visiting the Philippines on behalf of President Yoon Seok-youl and will be absent until the 1st of next month.

Regarding this, Woo Sang-ho, emergency committee member of the Democratic Party, criticized at the morning meeting, "Does President Yoon Seok-youl even care about the normalization of the National Assembly?" Woo said, "What kind of president appoints the ruling party floor leader as a special envoy when the National Assembly is not normalized?" and criticized, "From the start, there was no intention to normalize the National Assembly this week."

Floor Leader Kwon rebutted, saying, "In this day and age of video and remote meetings, my presence or absence does not hinder the conclusion of the organizational structure negotiations," and added, "The Democratic Party just needs to change its position."