Democrats "Will Establish Criteria for Standing Committee Chair Election"... Report Scheduled at Party Meeting on 12th

Holding a Meeting of the Floor Leadership to Discuss Criteria
"Candidates Will Be Selected According to the Criteria"

The Democratic Party's floor leadership, embroiled in internal conflict over the 'replacement of standing committee chairs' in the National Assembly, held an emergency meeting to discuss the selection criteria. The Democratic Party plans to hold a party members' meeting on the 12th to explain the selection criteria to its lawmakers.

Kim Han-gyu, the Democratic Party floor spokesperson, met with reporters after an emergency floor countermeasure meeting at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 7th and said, "We discussed the criteria for selecting standing committee chairs," adding, "We plan to hold a party members' meeting on Monday morning (the 12th) to report to the lawmakers on the selection criteria for standing committee chairs as envisioned by the floor leader and to obtain their approval."

Regarding the discussion, he explained, "There were many opinions ranging from maintaining existing practices to creating new criteria," and added, "We will soon prepare an internal proposal and report it at the party members' meeting."

Park Kwang-on, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

At the Democratic Party members' meeting held before the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 30th of last month, internal discord arose over the selection of six standing committee chairs allocated to the Democratic Party. This was because differences of opinion surfaced among party lawmakers regarding the existing procedure for nominating standing committee chairs. In response, Jeong Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council member who was the chair of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, strongly protested by requesting the position of Chair of the Public Administration and Security Committee.

Spokesperson Kim added, "It is too early to ask potential candidates for their intentions when the selection criteria have not been established," and said, "Once the criteria are set, we will contact the candidate pool according to those criteria and decide on the candidates for standing committee chairs."

Regarding the timing of the plenary session vote, he stated, "The 12th seems difficult due to discussions on the arrest consent bill, so we will consult with the ruling party floor leader to set the agenda on an appropriate day, either the 13th or 14th."