Woo Won-sik "It is best to allocate 11 standing committee chairmanships to opposition parties and 7 to the ruling party"

"Limited Time Left to Convene June Extraordinary National Assembly"
"People Power Party Needs Responsible Attitude"

Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-sik stated that it is best for the opposition Democratic Party of Korea to take 11 out of the 18 standing committee chair positions, while the ruling People Power Party takes 7. He repeatedly pressured both the People Power Party and the Democratic Party to promptly agree on the organization of the committees in order to convene the June extraordinary session of the National Assembly.

Speaker Woo Won-shik is speaking at a press conference related to the organization of the National Assembly in the Speaker's Reception Room at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 17th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 17th, Speaker Woo held a press conference in the Speaker's Reception Room at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, saying, "The floor leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties have had several deep contacts and intensive dialogues under the mediation of the Speaker of the National Assembly," and added, "Considering the process so far and the public’s expectations, it is appropriate to allocate 11 standing committee chair positions to the opposition and 7 to the ruling party." Speaker Woo explained that this committee organization aligns with the principle of distributing chair positions according to the number of seats and meets the public opinion that both parties should operate the National Assembly together.

Speaker Woo stated, "If the Democratic Party takes all 18 standing committee chair positions, it could infringe upon the rights of the people who supported the People Power Party in the last general election," and emphasized, "The organization of the National Assembly should not violate the rights of the people."

However, he stressed the need for a prompt organization of the committees to both parties. Speaker Woo said, "Delaying the opening of the National Assembly and infringing upon the rights of the people is also problematic," adding, "There is a crisis in people’s livelihoods compounded by a medical crisis. The military tension in inter-Korean relations is also urgent." He continued, "At the June extraordinary session, the representatives of negotiation groups must smoothly conduct their speeches and question the government," and explained, "Scheduled National Assembly tasks such as budget reviews and confirmation hearings are approaching." When asked about the specific timing of the opening, Speaker Woo replied, "We intend to reach a conclusion within a not-too-distant deadline."

He also applied pressure to the government and ruling party. Speaker Woo said, "As the ruling party and the party responsible for governance, a responsible attitude is necessary," and added, "The fact that the ruling party is a minority party is not a valid reason to shirk responsibility." Furthermore, he pointed out, "It is neglect of duty for the government to prevent cabinet members from attending standing committees convened according to the National Assembly Act," and warned, "The government must act responsibly, as there are numerous pressing issues. Disregarding and excluding the National Assembly makes it impossible to make any progress, and this must be kept in mind."