Public Institutions and Government Organization Term Alignment Act Also Delayed
[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon] The ruling and opposition parties have agreed on a revision to the Government Organization Act to elevate the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to a full ministry and establish a new Overseas Koreans Agency. The abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and amendments related to aligning the terms of public institutions and government positions have been postponed for future discussions.
On the 14th, the ruling and opposition parties' 3+3 consultative body (policy committee chairpersons, chief floor leaders, and the ruling and opposition members of the National Assembly's Administration and Security Committee) met at the National Assembly and announced the results of the Government Organization Act negotiations. According to the agreement announced by the policy committee chairpersons of both parties, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will be elevated to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans, and a new Overseas Koreans Agency will be established. The ruling party's proposal to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was deferred to consultations between the floor leaders due to disagreements between the parties.
Sung Il-jong, policy committee chairman of the People Power Party, stated, "There was no disagreement between the ruling and opposition parties on elevating the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to a ministry, and there were no major objections to establishing the Overseas Koreans Agency." However, he added, "Regarding the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the People Power Party maintains its position to abolish it as a presidential campaign pledge, but since the Democratic Party does not agree, this issue will be left to consultations between the floor leaders along with the establishment of the Space Agency."
Additionally, issues such as laws to align the terms of public institutions and government positions with the new administration's launch, transferring the personnel verification team under the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Personnel Innovation, and establishing legal grounds for the creation of a Police Bureau will also be left for future discussions.
Regarding the Government Organization Act, the ruling and opposition parties decided to adopt an approach of agreeing on issues where consensus is possible, while postponing those with significant differences, particularly concerning the contentious Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Kim Seong-hwan, policy committee chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, explained, "During last year's budget negotiations, the Democratic Party expressed the opinion that the establishment of the personnel verification team and the Police Bureau related to the presidential governance structure is legally valid under the Government Organization Act, and these matters will be handled through future consultations between the ruling and opposition parties."
Meanwhile, concerning the elevation of the Overseas Koreans Foundation currently located in Jeju-do to the Overseas Koreans Agency and its relocation outside Jeju, both parties agreed to cooperate on relocating additional public institutions to Jeju-do.
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