The Grain Management Act Returning to the National Assembly... "Virtually on the Path to Abolition"

Grain Management Act Passed in National Assembly Plenary Session on 23rd
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Proposes 'Reconsideration Request'
Requires Two-Thirds Majority to Pass if President Exercises Veto Right

On the 23rd, Jeong Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, proposed a request for reconsideration, that is, a presidential veto, regarding the amendment to the Grain Management Act that passed the National Assembly plenary session. If the president exercises the veto following Minister Jeong's proposal, the bill must be approved again by a two-thirds majority of the members present, with a quorum of more than half of the total members, to pass. This effectively means the bill will be discarded.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on the 26th, the bill that passed the National Assembly plenary session will be sent to the government. Afterwards, the Office for Government Policy Coordination will conduct an opinion inquiry with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the request for reconsideration.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will request the Office for Government Policy Coordination to review the reconsideration request. Once the Office reviews it and delivers the results to the Ministry, the Ministry will send an official document to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to request the submission of the reconsideration request to the Cabinet meeting. If the reconsideration request is submitted and approved at the Cabinet meeting presided over by the president, it will be submitted to the National Assembly after the president's approval.

Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs proposed the request for reconsideration immediately after the Grain Management Act amendment passed the National Assembly plenary session. Minister Jeong said, "The revised bill, which was unilaterally passed under the opposition party's leadership, only partially changed the mandatory purchase conditions, but the essential content that the government is most concerned about?'the government being obligated to compulsorily purchase surplus rice'?remains unchanged. As the minister in charge, I deeply regret and feel disheartened by the unilateral handling of the revised bill, and I clearly state once again that it is difficult to accept."

Minister Jeong proposed the request for reconsideration. He emphasized, "The government must respect the will of the National Assembly regarding the passed bill, but the side effects of this bill are too obvious. As the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, I will propose a request for reconsideration as stipulated in the Constitution of the Republic of Korea."

The amendment to the Grain Management Act was passed in the National Assembly plenary session with 169 votes in favor, 90 against, and 7 abstentions out of 266 members present. The amendment mandates that when the surplus production exceeds 3-5% of the production (or budgeted production), causing a sharp drop or expected drop in rice prices, or when the rice price during the harvest season falls by 5-8% or more compared to the average price, agricultural cooperatives and others are required to purchase the surplus production during the harvest season.