Opposition Committee on Agriculture: "We Won't Be a Mere Spectator" Ruling Party: "Bills Opposing Party Policy Will Not Be Submitted"

Failure to Submit Democratic Party Bills Including the Basic Social Economy Act
"Strong Opposition Citing Violation of Legislative Rights" Leads to No Meeting Held
Unlikely to Meet Budget-Related Bill Passage Deadline on the 30th
People Power Party: "Following Democratic Party Demands Only Clouds the Issues"

Shin Dong-geun, the opposition party secretary of the Tax Subcommittee, Ko Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Jang Hye-young, a member of the Justice Party, are talking before the start of the National Assembly Tax Subcommittee meeting on the 28th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Tax Subcommittee of the Planning and Finance Committee, which is reviewing the budget-related subsidiary bills, was disrupted on the 28th. Since these subsidiary bills are connected to next year's budget, the deadline for processing them is by the 30th of this month, but with the Tax Subcommittee not convening on this day, meeting the legal deadline has become difficult.

The Democratic Party of Korea held a meeting among opposition party finance committee members at 10 a.m., coinciding with the scheduled start time of the Tax Subcommittee. This meeting was to discuss how to negotiate after the plenary session was not held on the 24th. Attendance at the subcommittee was also decided based on the outcome of this meeting. After about an hour-long meeting, the opposition finance committee members left without entering the meeting room.

Shin Dong-geun, the opposition party secretary of the Planning and Finance Committee from the Democratic Party, said to reporters after the meeting, "The government and ruling party only submit the bills they need and do not submit our bills, so there is no point in just being a figurehead," adding, "Ryu Seong-geol, the ruling party secretary, is on sick leave and did not come, so continuing the subcommittee has no meaning."

The Democratic Party requested the People Power Party to submit bills of interest to its members, including the three social economy laws and the Restriction of Special Taxation Act, but said they were rejected. Shin said, "Among the special tax-related bills in the Tax Subcommittee, there are bills that members are very interested in, and we asked if they could be submitted, but they said the government budget-related bills must be submitted first and are not submitting other bills," criticizing this as "an infringement on the legislative rights of members."

Shin also said he had a phone conversation with Ryu Seong-geol, the ruling party secretary who has been unable to come to the National Assembly due to a COVID-19 diagnosis, but there was no progress. Shin lamented, "The ruling party's position is to handle this (budget-related subsidiary bills) first," adding, "There is no room for negotiation. The government and ruling party should show inclusiveness, make concessions, and demonstrate negotiation skills, but the secretary is not coming and is only reiterating existing principles over the phone."

Bang Gi-seon, the 1st Vice Minister of Strategy and Finance, is waiting for the meeting to start at the National Assembly Tax Subcommittee room on the 28th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

The People Power Party remains firm in its stance. They say that none of the bills currently demanded by the Democratic Party, such as the Basic Social Economy Act, can be discussed at all.

Park Dae-chul, chairman of the National Assembly Planning and Finance Committee and member of the People Power Party, told reporters, "We oppose the Basic Social Economy Act as our party's official stance," adding, "We need to handle the urgent budget-related subsidiary bills first; this is not the time to bring up other issues." He continued, "If we bring up issues that our party officially opposes, it will only cloud the discussion," and said, "Since it would interfere with the budget-related subsidiary bills, the intention is to focus on the urgent (budget-related subsidiary bills)."

Due to the differences in opinions between the ruling and opposition parties, the Planning and Finance Committee meeting scheduled for the following day is also unlikely to be held. If the budget-related subsidiary bills are not processed by the 30th, the Speaker of the National Assembly will submit the bills. A People Power Party official expressed concern, saying, "It is the principle to submit the government bill, but if the Democratic Party opposes it, there is a possibility that the plenary session may not be held at all."