Ruling Party's Attempt to Pass Democratic Merit Law Sparks "Majority Party Tyranny" Backlash from Opposition

Democrats Attempt Resolution at Full Assembly on the 14th

On the morning of the 14th, the members of the Political Affairs Committee from the People Power Party opposed the Democratic Party's attempt to pass the Democratic Meritorious Persons Act at the full committee meeting, calling it "the tyranny of the majority party."

They held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office on the same day, criticizing, "Just a month after forcibly passing the Yellow Envelope Act and the three broadcasting laws, they once again committed the tyranny of the majority party, busy taking care of their own side."

Regarding the Democratic Meritorious Persons Act, they pointed out, "It is a ‘special inheritance law for activist privileges’ created by the mainstream activist faction of the Democratic Party to enjoy vested interests for generations," adding, "It is a malicious law for those who have ruled over the people as if activism were a position, defiling democratization with abusive language and agitation throughout their lives."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Democratic Meritorious Persons Act is designed to recognize and honor those who have clearly contributed or sacrificed in resisting anti-democratic authoritarian rule and establishing the free democratic basic order as aimed by the Constitution, after review by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. It mainly provides for honoring those who suffered death, injury, or convictions during democratization movements other than the already legislated April 19 and May 18 movements.

The Democratic Party has been pushing for the bill, arguing that victims of democratization movements who have been neglected in terms of recognition should be properly honored, but the People Power Party has opposed it, calling it a "law that produces fake meritorious persons." Previously, the Democratic Party had passed the bill unilaterally at the bill subcommittee in July.

At the press conference, People Power Party lawmaker Song Seok-jun asked, "We ask the Democratic Party: what is the real intention behind forcibly pushing the 'fake meritorious persons production law' now, which even the previous government failed to enact?" He raised his voice, saying, "Isn't it to burden the president with the veto power? Isn't the real purpose to unite the ’86 activist faction and labor unions ahead of the general election?"

Lawmaker Kang Min-guk claimed, "All those involved in the Dong-eui University incident where police officers died, and those related to the Namminjeon incident who committed armed robbery to raise activity funds, are all subjects for review under the Democratic Meritorious Persons Act," adding, "There are many problems with the content."

On the same day, the People Power Party applied to refer the bill to the Agenda Coordination Committee to block the Democratic Party’s unilateral passage of the bill. The Agenda Coordination Committee is a standing committee body that deliberates on contentious bills between the ruling and opposition parties for up to 90 days and passes them if four out of six members agree.