Kim Jin-pyo Requests Opposition Cooperation on Special Committee in Meeting with Kwon Seong-dong... Kwon Seong-dong Says "Can't Do It"

Kim Jin-pyo, the newly appointed Speaker of the National Assembly, is arriving at the National Assembly building on the 5th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] On the 5th, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo met with People Power Party floor leader Kwon Seong-dong and urged prompt negotiations for the organization of the National Assembly between the ruling and opposition parties.

According to political circles, Floor Leader Kwon met with Speaker Kim in the Speaker's office in the afternoon and conveyed this message. The approximately 30-minute private meeting was arranged at Speaker Kim's request. Floor Leader Kwon said that Speaker Kim asked him to "manage well" regarding the negotiations for the second half organization of the National Assembly.

Regarding cooperation in forming the Special Committee on Judicial Reform, one of the demands from the Democratic Party, Floor Leader Kwon said that Speaker Kim described it as "something repeatedly mentioned from the Democratic Party's standpoint," and responded, "(People Power Party) cannot do it. This is the red line. Now it is the Democratic Party's turn to make concessions."

The ruling and opposition parties barely completed the election of the Speaker panel the day before, but disagreements remain over the distribution of the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the formation of the Special Committee on Judicial Reform, which had been contentious issues in the organization negotiations. This suggests a difficult path ahead before the second half of the National Assembly can get back on track.

It appears that Speaker Kim, who is from the Democratic Party, called Floor Leader Kwon on the day following his inauguration to discuss the Special Committee on Judicial Reform negotiations, considering the possibility that the National Assembly could again be at a standstill due to this issue.