[Reporter’s Notebook] People Power Party’s Powerless ‘Special Committee Politics’

They visited the sites of public livelihood and even proposed bills, but nothing has really changed. Currently, the People Power Party is boycotting the National Assembly schedule. Although this is a reaction to the Democratic Party of Korea's unilateral election of the Speaker and standing committee chairs, as well as the forced assignment of standing committees, it appears powerless. The limitations of the special committee, which cannot perform legislative functions, were clearly evident even at the site visited by the AI and Semiconductor Special Committee, the largest of the 16 special committees formed by the People Power Party.

On the 18th, the AI and Semiconductor Special Committee, together with the Energy Special Committee, visited the semiconductor cluster construction site of SK Hynix in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and held a joint meeting. The purpose was to discuss support measures related to the most important power supply infrastructure for the project’s progress. It was an important occasion attended by special committee members who are current lawmakers, Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin Special City, Kim Dong-seop, President of SK Hynix, and Choi Nam-ho, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. During the meeting, voices were raised demanding the National Assembly’s role, such as the 'National Power Grid Expansion Act' and exemption from preliminary feasibility studies to expedite the project.

After finishing the Yongin site schedule, Kim Seong-won, Chair of the Energy Special Committee, responded to reporters’ questions about how long it would take to process related bills by saying, "The standing committee must be operational, so we need to see how the negotiations for the original composition go." Although the special committee members received reports from Korea Electric Power Corporation and SK Hynix and inspected the construction site, ultimately, the related bills can only be processed if the main standing committee, the Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Venture Business Committee, functions properly.

A similar situation occurred on the 12th during the People Power Party’s Disaster Safety Special Committee party-government consultation meeting. It was a meeting to discuss support measures for residents affected by North Korean waste balloons, and attendees from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety emphasized the need for the National Assembly to quickly pass the ruling party’s proposed 'Civil Defense Basic Act Amendment.' However, as the party is refusing the parliamentary schedule amid difficulties in the original composition negotiations, the special committee members could not say they would expedite the law’s passage. One special committee member said, "The National Assembly should do its part..." and only urged the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to prepare thoroughly.

Another problem is that the media and public attention are dispersed as multiple special committees operate simultaneously in a single day. Even though the largest AI and Semiconductor Special Committee and the Energy Special Committee, with 24 lawmakers participating, held meetings with companies and local governments in Yongin, there were only three reporters on site. A People Power Party official expressed regret over the reduced publicity effect, saying, "We shouldn’t hold so many special committees like this." Even if special committee members take time from their busy schedules to visit the semiconductor industry site, a core industry responsible for future growth, and seek support measures, it is meaningless if the public does not know about it.

Today, the People Power Party is operating five special committees again. The Medical Reform Special Committee will visit Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, and Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho will visit the Armed Forces Capital Hospital to respond to the emergency medical system due to doctors’ collective actions. Listening to the public’s voice on site and taking care of livelihoods is important. However, ultimately, lawmakers must take care of livelihoods through legislation. This is why, frustrating as it may be, the ruling People Power Party must be more proactive in the original composition 'negotiations' and return to the standing committees.