Democrats Plan to Push Controversial Bills Including Marine Corps Special Prosecutor
Morning Meeting Between Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and Ruling and Opposition Floor Leaders
Hong Ik-pyo: "Obligation Under National Assembly Act... Ruling Party Must Heed Public Sentiment"
The ruling and opposition parties are continuing their tug-of-war over the legislative schedule until the final moments of the 21st National Assembly. The People Power Party is firmly refusing to convene the 'May extraordinary session.' However, the Democratic Party of Korea is determined to pass contentious bills, which the government and ruling party have opposed, within the current session.
Kim Jin-pyo, Speaker of the National Assembly, Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, and Hong Ik-pyo, floor leader of the Democratic Party, will meet around 11 a.m. on the 29th to discuss the schedule for the May extraordinary session. The negotiations between the floor leaders of both parties are expected to continue through a luncheon meeting. On the 23rd, the ruling and opposition parties also discussed the plenary session schedule and agenda items in a meeting chaired by Speaker Kim, but it ended empty-handed after about 30 minutes.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 29th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
The Democratic Party has requested to hold plenary sessions twice, on the 2nd and 28th of next month. They aim to conclude contentious bills pushed by the opposition, such as the special prosecutor law concerning allegations of investigation interference in the Marine Corps personnel death case, the Itaewon disaster special law, and the jeonse fraud special law, within the 21st session. On the other hand, the People Power Party has stated that they cannot accept holding plenary sessions in May if bills opposed by the government and ruling party are forcibly passed.
The Democratic Party is determined to hold the plenary sessions. On the 26th, they even submitted a 'request for convening the May extraordinary session' to the National Assembly unilaterally. Once the plenary session is convened, there is a high possibility that bills will be passed by the Democratic Party, which holds the majority of seats. Floor leader Hong Ik-pyo announced plans to use the current law's provisions for convening plenary sessions even if no agreement is reached between the ruling and opposition parties. According to Article 76-2 of the National Assembly Act, the Speaker must convene a plenary session 'every Thursday at 2 p.m.' unless there are special circumstances.
In political circles, there is speculation that the summit meeting to be held in the afternoon may open the way for an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, depending on the response from the Presidential Office. It is expected that Representative Lee Jae-myung will bring sensitive issues to the table, including the special prosecutor for the Marine Corps personnel case, the Itaewon special law that was vetoed by President Yoon Suk-yeol, and the three broadcasting laws (Broadcasting Act, Promotion of Broadcasting Culture Act, and Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act amendments).
Floor leader Hong criticized at the morning Supreme Council meeting, "We are doing our best to handle the major livelihood bills and issues mandated by the people in the general election. Politicizing the convening of the extraordinary session itself goes against the public sentiment expressed in the general election."
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