The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, labeled the ruling People Power Party's direct referral of the 'Second Grain Management Act'?which President Yoon Suk-yeol vetoed and was reintroduced?to the plenary session of the National Assembly as legislative overreach and urged the preparation of alternatives.
At the plenary meeting of the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee held at the National Assembly on the 18th, the proposal to directly refer the "Grain Management Act Amendment" and the "Agricultural Products Price Stabilization Act Amendment" to the plenary session of the National Assembly was passed solely by the opposition party. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
On the 18th, members of the People Power Party's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee (AFROF) issued a statement saying, "The National Assembly Act stipulates that the agenda and opening date of committee meetings should be decided in consultation with the floor leaders to ensure predictable parliamentary operations," adding, "The Democratic Party unilaterally processed the amendment to the Grain Management Act without any consultation on the agenda or schedule. This is legislative overreach by the major opposition party ignoring the National Assembly Act."
They further pointed out, "The current amendment to the Grain Management Act revives the clause mandating the government's compulsory purchase of surplus rice, which was rejected by the National Assembly after the government's veto request in April last year," and stated, "The compulsory purchase of surplus rice has raised serious concerns from the government, many experts, and agricultural organizations because it leads to overproduction, rice price declines, increased fiscal burdens, and fairness issues, all of which do not contribute to agricultural development."
They also said, "We cannot understand the opposition party's intention to revive a similar system, the rice price fluctuation direct payment system, which was abolished by the Democratic Party administration in 2020," and added, "We will expand strategic crop direct payments to ensure appropriate rice production, address oversupply, and stabilize rice prices through active supply and demand management." They concluded, "We urge the Democratic Party to stop legislative unilateralism and work together to develop prudent and reasonable alternatives."
The National Assembly's AFROF held a plenary meeting that morning and passed the 'Request for Referral of the Grain Management Act Amendment to the Plenary Session.' The ruling People Power Party opposed the direct referral and did not attend the meeting, so out of 19 members, 12?including 11 from the Democratic Party and independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang?participated in the vote. All 12 voted in favor, sending the bill to the plenary session.
The amendment includes provisions requiring the government to compulsorily purchase excess rice or sell government-managed grain when rice prices sharply fall below or rise above the reference price, and to establish and implement countermeasures accordingly. Last April, President Yoon exercised his veto power against the Grain Management Act amendment passed by the National Assembly, after which the Democratic Party reintroduced the amendment.
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