Democratic Party "Full Deployment of Members"... Full-Scale Offensive by Judiciary and Steering Committees

'Yoon Seok-yeol Sniper' Chu Mi-ae at the Steering Committee
Seo Young-kyo and Jung Cheong-rae Leadership Positioned in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee
Special Prosecutor and Presidential Office Targeted with Sharp Attacks

The Democratic Party of Korea has deployed a large number of experienced lawmakers with strong combat capabilities to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee in the first half of the 22nd National Assembly, intensifying its offensive against the opposition. The party aims to focus firepower on the Steering Committee and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, which oversee the Presidential Office and the prosecution, respectively, to carry out top priorities for judging the administration, such as enforcing the special prosecution laws on Chae Sang-byeong and Kim Geon-hee.

According to the Democratic Party on the 4th, they plan to complete the assignment of 31 third-term lawmakers to standing committees by the deadline for organizing the committees on the 7th, after concluding negotiations with the People Power Party. Depending on the number of committee members and the results of electing each committee chairperson, some of these 31 senior lawmakers may additionally join the Steering Committee and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

The current characteristic of the Democratic Party’s committee assignments is that they are sharply targeting the Yoon administration. The Steering Committee, which oversees the Presidential Secretariat and the Security Office, notably includes Representative Chu Mi-ae, famous as a "sharpshooter" against Yoon Seok-yeol. It is known that Representative Chu preferred the Steering Committee over the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Many first-term pro-Lee Jae-myung lawmakers such as Noh Jong-myeon, Bu Seung-chan, and Jeong Jin-wook are also positioned there. Pro-Moon Jae-in lawmaker Ko Min-jung, who has been intensifying criticism of the Presidential Office daily, has also joined.

'Opening of the 22nd National Assembly' Anticipating Cooperation...
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Photo by Kim Juhyung = On the 30th, the day the 22nd National Assembly opened, a congratulatory banner is seen hanging at the main building of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.
Following the 21st National Assembly, which ended amid opposition party's legislative push and veto exercises, the confrontational situation is expected to intensify further in the 22nd National Assembly. 2024.5.30
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The Legislation and Judiciary Committee includes political veteran Representative Park Ji-won, as well as party supreme council members Seo Young-kyo, Jeong Cheong-rae, and Jang Kyung-tae. Representative Kim Yong-min, active in the Democratic Party’s Task Force against Political Prosecution and Fabrication, also stands out. Former prosecutor Representative Lee Seong-yoon, who proposed the "Kim Geon-hee Comprehensive Special Prosecution Law" involving the deployment of about 100 investigative personnel, is also included. Since the Democratic Party failed to pass key bills through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in the 21st National Assembly, they are determined to secure the chairmanship of the committee in the first half of the 22nd National Assembly.

The Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee includes five-term Representative Jeong Dong-young and four-term Representative Lee Hak-young. The committee aims to prevent the Yoon administration’s media control tactics. Pro-Lee Jae-myung hardliner Representative Kim Hyun has been designated as the committee secretary. Representative Yang Moon-seok has been named to the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee.

Meanwhile, as difficulties arise over the distribution of committee chair positions between the ruling and opposition parties, the agreement on organizing the committees may be delayed. Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae pressured, saying, "If negotiations proceed smoothly, committee chair positions will be distributed with 11 to the Democratic Party and 7 to the People Power Party, but if the People Power Party wastes time, the Democratic Party can take all 18 committee chairs through a vote."